


Star Wars: Heirs of the Force

by Rey_KnightofRen



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Ahch-To, Armitage Hux Lives, Balance in the force, Canon Universe, Coruscant (Star Wars), Dathomir (Star Wars), F/M, Gingerrose - Freeform, Movie: Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Movie: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Post-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Reylo happily ever after, Slight Canon Divergence, Star Wars References, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Spoilers, Unknown Regions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-19
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:01:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 68,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22803739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rey_KnightofRen/pseuds/Rey_KnightofRen
Summary: After saving Ben Solo from the World Between Worlds, Rey has established a new Jedi academy on Ahch-To. Together, she and Ben are training a new generation of Jedi and also providing a home for children who are lost, lonely, and unsure of how to use their Force powers.Rey dreams of a peaceful life with the man she loves, but in the vacuum of power left by the defeat of Palpatine and the First Order, a new threat emerges from deep within the Unknown Regions — deeper than even Palpatine dared to delve.Palpatine and the Sith may be gone forever, but there are other paths to power and the dark side. This mysterious new adversary is also VERY curious about the bond shared by Rey and Ben, and about what it truly means to be a dyad in the Force.Along with their friends from the Resistance, Rey and Ben must undertake a dangerous journey across the galaxy — from Coruscant, to Dathomir, to planets so remote they do not have a name — in order to restore true balance to the galaxy and the Force.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey & Ben Solo, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 109
Kudos: 104





	1. Ahch-To Sunrise

“Breathe...just breathe.”

Rey closed her eyes and reached out through the Force, feeling its currents swirling around her. She felt the Force in the warm rays of sunshine on her face. She felt it in the cool breeze blowing back the loose strands of her hair. She felt it in the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks below. 

She remembered the lesson Luke Skywalker had taught her on this island two years ago, when he’d asked her to “see” the island by feeling it through the Force, rather than using her sense of sight. That day she’d felt birth and death, warmth and cold, peace and violence — a complex web of light and dark, binding the universe together. 

Both the Jedi and Sith of old had ignored that complexity, trying too hard to control the Force and bend it to their own will. Rey was determined not to repeat those same mistakes with her students. 

She would teach them to walk towards the light while also acknowledging the darkness within themselves. Then, she’d show them how to overcome that darkness — not by ignoring emotion and attachment, as the Jedi had once done — but by seeking out true balance in the universe and themselves. 

What did “true balance” mean? Well, that was something Rey was still exploring, and she was trying to be patient, and prepare herself to learn what the Force was going to teach her. Of course you could commune with the Force anywhere, but it was easier to sense the balance on Ahch-To — an ancient, holy site free of distractions. That’s why Rey and Ben had chosen to start a Jedi academy here, despite its remote location. 

Well, at least Ahch-To was _almost_ free of distractions…

Rey’s concentration was broken by a small voice hesitantly asking: “Master Rey? Can we go play with the Porgs now?”

Rey opened her eyes and tried not to laugh as she looked at the group of 6-, 7-, and 8-year-old Padawans seated cross-legged around her. She probably should have known that the last day of classes before the end of the term was not the best time to try teaching a complex lesson about balance in the Force. 

The students had initially been excited about the prospect of waking up early to watch the sunrise and practice their Force abilities, but now their attention was drawn to an adorable flock of Porgs gathering near the edge of the cliff.

Rey sighed. “I guess I can’t compete with the Porgs, can I?” 

The students began squealing with glee, anticipating an early release from their lesson. But before they could stand up, Rey held up a hand. 

“Yes, you can play with the Porgs, but as you go, I do want you to think about everything you sensed this morning during our time up on the cliff. This island, you and me, and even the Porgs are all part of the balance we’ve been talking about. We all share the Force, and remember, even if we can do impressive feats through the Force—” She gestured towards the left, where Finn sat with a slightly older group of students some distance away, practicing rock levitation. “—The Force does not belong to just the Jedi.”

The children stared at her expectantly and a bit cluelessly, and Rey couldn’t pretend to be stern with them anymore. “All right, you’re dismissed — go play with the Porgs.”

She laughed as she watched them scamper off towards the flock of Porgs, shaking her head. From the looks of it, Finn was having about as much success as she was; only two rocks were currently levitating: his own and the only student in his group who actually appeared to be concentrating on the lesson. 

Since Finn’s Force powers started manifesting after the battle on Exegol, the former stormtrooper’s training had progressed rapidly. Rey had invited her friend to join her and Ben as a teacher at the new Jedi academy. She’d helped him build his own lightsaber, a green blade with parts scavenged from his old stormtrooper armor. 

In fact, Finn, Rey, and Ben’s lightsabers were all scavenged from their pasts — Rey had used pieces of her staff from Jakku, and Ben had gotten his “Kylo Ren” lightsaber back while he was in the World Between Worlds, healing the kyber crystal so that the blade now burned pure white. 

Rey liked the symbolism of their scavenged sabers; the pain of their pasts would always be a part of them, but they could grow beyond it and find healing. Finn was no longer a stormtrooper, Rey was no longer a lonely scavenger, and Ben Solo was no longer Kylo Ren. 

And speaking of Ben...this morning he had actually dismissed his class even earlier than Rey had. The teenage students were supposed to be meditating with him on the shoreline of the island and discussing Jedi history, but instead they’d pulled out their wooden practice sabers and were now in the middle of a very chaotic mock battle full of excited shouting. 

Ben was attempting to keep the practice fight under control (at least somewhat), but he couldn’t bring himself to put a damper on the fun, and soon she heard him break out into laughter. That was a hidden truth not many people would guess — the former supreme leader of the First Order was actually one of the biggest “softies” in the galaxy, much like his father.

Rey would never forget the first time she saw Ben truly smile at her, when he brought her back to life after she’d defeated Palpatine on Exegol. She thought she’d lost him forever then, but the World Between Worlds had provided a pathway back for him after he faded into the Force. 

Pulling Ben through a portal and bringing him back to the mortal world had been the easy part, actually. They’d both understood that Ben would have a long, hard road ahead of him once he returned, as he began to work through years of repressed guilt, grief, anger, and pain. 

Even though Rey and Ben had already been inside each other’s minds — and thanks to their Force bond, they were connected as intimately as two people could possibly be — it still took some time for Ben to be able to open up and talk with her frankly about his past. 

He’d spent so many years with Snoke and Palpatine’s voices inside his head, haunting him, nagging him, and driving him towards the dark side. He’d finally surrendered to that darkness, and done things he’d spend the rest of his lifetime regretting, like killing his father. 

_“Redemption is not a straight path forward.”_ Rey had read those words in one of the Jedi journals she’d discovered, written by a man named Qui-Gon Jinn who apparently had a bit of a reputation for being an unconventional Jedi. She’d shown the passage to Ben, hoping it could bring him comfort. _“Redemption is a difficult journey with many twists and turns, requiring one to ascend difficult peaks and wind through painful valleys. But atonement does wait at the end for those with determination and an open heart. Often the Jedi are too quick to condemn, I fear, and not enough find this elusive path.”_

Sometimes Ben would still wake up with nightmares about his time in the First Order, and Rey would do her best to help soothe him, holding him tightly and wishing she could take away all his trauma as quickly as she’d healed him during their fight on the ruins of the Death Star a year ago. Ben struggled to believe he was worthy of redemption, and Rey would keep reminding him that his family and the Force had already forgiven him. 

Although he’d always supported Rey’s idea for a Jedi academy on Ahch-To, he’d been hesitant to accept a role as a teacher himself, at first. Due to the years he spent serving the dark side, he wasn’t certain he’d make the best mentor. Yet he’d eventually decided that maybe by sharing his painful story, he could save other young Jedi from wandering down the same path he had. 

To symbolize their fresh start, Rey and Ben had taken a new last name together when they decided to get married: “Solo-Organa,” honoring his parents and two of Rey’s most important mentors. Rey never would have guessed this would be her future the first time she saw “Kylo Ren,” but she was so thankful the Force had woven their journeys together. 

Of course they still fought sometimes — it was impossible for two passionate people to live together and NOT argue. But they loved each other fiercely — as two broken, imperfect people who had found healing and purpose and happiness together. 

“You know, maybe we should have just canceled classes today; I don’t think anyone heard a word I said.”

Rey glanced behind her and smiled as she saw Finn walking towards her. The academy didn’t require teachers or students to wear traditional Jedi robes unless they chose to, and today Finn was wearing dark blue pants, a loose white shirt, and a brown vest, similar to his attire from his days in the Resistance. Rey had also opted for something comfortable: dark grey pants, a light gray shirt, and gauzy tabards in a dusty purple fabric. 

“I think you’re right about classes,” she admitted. “The only thing my students were really meditating on were Porgs.”

Finn laughed. “At least Bo’ox was able to levitate his rock for a while — he was really proud. In fact, he’s still over there practicing, even though I dismissed everyone else. He said he wants to show his grandmother when she gets here to pick him up.”

Rey looked over and saw the young Bith floating his rock about a meter off the ground. Although his hands were shaking from the effort, she could feel his joy radiating through the Force. He was excited about tapping into the power of the Force, and he was excited about sharing it with his family — and that’s exactly what Rey, Finn, and Ben wanted this Jedi academy to be all about. 

Before they even started accepting students to the Ahch-To academy, they had all agreed there should be some changes to the patterns the Jedi Order had followed in the past when it came to training Padawans.

When Ben’s grandfather Anakin Skywalker was a Jedi, young Force sensitives were taken away from their homes and isolated from their families, leaving their pasts completely behind and devoting themselves fully to the Jedi Order. 

However, Rey, Finn, and Ben knew all too well how painful isolation and separation from your family could be. It wasn’t healthy, and the Jedi rules about attachment were far too strict. 

So instead of taking Padawans from their homes permanently as small children or even infants, every year at the Ahch-To academy was divided into three terms, at the end of which was a month’s break, so the students could return home to be with their families. The students also had a chance to speak to their families every day, if they wanted to, and families could come for visits whenever they liked. 

And for the students who did not have parents or guardians to go home to, former Resistance commander Rose Tico had organized a program that allowed these students to go on a special holiday of their own. This time, Rose had recruited Lando Calrissian and Chewie to take the children to a wildlife refuge, which had rescued a group of fathiers from the casino on Canto Bight. 

“Well, I think the families should all be arriving fairly soon,” Rey said to Finn, realizing she’d gotten lost in her own thoughts about the future of the Jedi and been silent for too long. “Maybe one of us should walk down to the shore and see exactly what’s going on with that massive saber ‘battle.’”

Finn gave her a wide grin. “Are you sure about that?” he asked mischievously. “It’s kind of fun to just stand up here and watch Ben try to manage the chaos.” 

Rey glanced back down at the mock battle, which Ben was currently standing in the middle of. He was trying to solve a dispute between two students, while three other students were excitedly asking him questions all at the same time, competing for his attention and making it impossible for him to determine what any of them were saying. 

“Oh believe me, this _is_ entertaining to watch,” Rey said with a chuckle. “And it is good for the students to have time just to play and be normal kids.” Growing up as orphans, that was something both Rey and Finn had missed out on. “But on the other hand...I’m also worried what the families will think if they come back and instead of finding their kids packing and getting ready to go, everyone is just running around like crazy.”

“I guess you’re right,” Finn said with a mock sigh of resignation. “I’ll keep an eye on the younger kids who are still up here playing with the Porgs so you can go rescue your man.”

Rey jogged down the rock pathway down to the shoreline as quickly as she dared (it was a bit too steep for actual running), and she arrived just as Ben had finally managed to settle the argument between the two students. Apparently there was some disagreement as to whether or not Tay’leah had actually tapped Jeriku with her blade, and whether that counted as a point for Tay’leah’s team. 

However, the battle itself was quickly forgotten once the students saw Rey, and they immediately began chanting “Duel! Duel! Duel!”

Rey and Ben had once made the mistake of agreeing to demonstrate a lightsaber duel for their students, and the students had all been thrilled with the novelty of watching their two instructors “fight.” Ben had won that particular duel, but the students had been eager for a rematch ever since.

As Rey surveyed the chaos around her, Ben finally noticed her standing there and gave her a sheepish shrug, as if to acknowledge he’d lost complete control of the class today. He’d rolled up the sleeves of his gray shirt, having already ditched his jacket due to the warmer than normal temperatures. 

“You don’t need to see a duel today!” he tried to protest to the students, who continued to shout excitedly. “You just had a huge ‘battle’ of your own!”

“But we want to see you duel Master Rey!” Tay’leah asked with over-exaggerated sweetness. Rey was certain both Tay’leah AND Jeriku had a massive crush on Ben, which he was oblivious to. 

Ben shook his head. “Come on now, your families and Lando and Chewie will all be here soon, and we have to get ready.”

Ben was right — it was time for everyone to finish packing and sit down to eat the meal C-3PO was preparing for them in the dining hall. But the children’s high spirits were infectious, and with an impish grin, Rey turned towards Ben. 

“Maybe...Master Ben is just afraid I’ll beat him this time,” she said, and the children squealed with glee at her challenge. 

Ben stared at her in feigned disbelief, pretending to be insulted. “Well, if you put it that way, I guess I’ll just have to duel you then.”

Without warning, he reached out through the Force, and a spare wooden dueling saber snapped into his hand. The students backed up, forming a large circle around their instructors as Rey scrambled to call a practice saber of her own to her hand. 

The wooden blades clattered together as Ben swung around towards her, and Rey had to work to keep her mind on the fight and not be distracted by the intense look in Ben’s eyes and the way his hair fell across his face. 

_Stars, he’s hot,_ she thought as she just barely managed to block his blow in time. He was grinning wickedly at her now, which made concentrating even harder. 

They circled around each other, sabers flying and clashing, as the students continued to cheer in the background. It was such a different experience from the way they’d dueled each other in the past — back when he was “Kylo Ren” and she was Rey of Jakku. 

This was more of a dance than a duel, both of them using this as an opportunity to train and strengthen their partner. They were working together now, rather than against each other. However, each of them did have a hot-headed streak, so they were both still trying to win. 

Rey finally managed to catch Ben off balance, and he stumbled slightly. She swung at his saber, knocking it out of his hands. She used the Force to call his practice saber to her instead, and then she pointed both sabers at his chest. 

“All right — I yield, I yield!” he said, raising both hands in a gesture of surrender, and the students clapped. 

“Good heavens, what is all this racket?” C-3PO asked, emerging from the dining hall and looking more than a little befuddled. R2-D2 rolled along behind him, beeping in amusement as 3PO continued, “This seems to be a rather irregular departure from today’s scheduled class time.”

“We, uh, got a little distracted today,” Ben said, still breathing heavily from the fight. Rey could feel that her own cheeks were also flushed from the unplanned exertion, but it was a good kind of tired. Ben didn’t pull punches in a practice fight, and she always appreciated that. 

“Let’s clean up all these practice sabers, and then we can go to lunch!” Rey told the students. “I don’t know about you, but I’m definitely hungry after that fight!”

“Aren’t you always hungry?” Ben teased, putting his arm around her and leaning down to give her a quick kiss on the forehead. 

Thanks to their Force bond, Rey could always feel Ben’s presence, but she still wasn’t over the little thrill she got whenever they actually touched, even if it was just a quick hug. She remembered what it was like to helplessly watch him disappear on Exegol, right after they’d held each other for the first time. Her heart had shattered at the thought of never being with him again, and now every touch felt like a priceless gift she didn’t want to take for granted. She thanked the Force every day that—

Rey paused as Ben turned away from her, feeling a sudden disturbance in the Force.   
  
No, “disturbance” was too strong of a word; this felt a little less tangible, more like a slight...shift. As if something important but nearly imperceptible had changed about the universe. Rey couldn’t even tell if that shift was good or bad; she just knew something was different. Ben didn’t appear to have noticed anything at all — he was currently busy helping the students clean up the practice field. 

This particular shift in the Force was like a more shadowy version of the feeling Rey had experienced when she touched Anakin Skywalker’s lightsaber for the first time back at Maz Kanata’s castle on Takodana. Although at the time she hadn’t really understood the visions she’d seen, she had known that she would never be the same — and that terrified her. 

Rey hadn’t experienced a premonition like that since the battle on Exegol; the Force had seemed at peace ever since then, as if the wound rendered by the existence of Palpatine had finally begun to heal. Perhaps she’d had been too optimistic, but she’d hoped that equilibrium in the Force would continue. They’d already been through so much during the war against the First Order and Palpatine; surely more trouble couldn’t be coming their way. 

_Maybe I’m overreacting,_ Rey told herself, a thought that was reinforced as she heard the hum of a starship overhead and saw the _Millennium Falcon_ coming in for a landing. Lando and Chewie waved at her from the cockpit, and she forced herself to smile and wave back, trying to push the premonition from her mind. 

Maybe she was just tired from her duel with Ben, and that shift in the Force she thought she’d sensed earlier was really only the _Falcon_ jumping out of hyperspace. 

By the time the _Falcon’s_ landing ramp lowered, Rey’s anxious feelings were already drifting away. Chewie bounded down the landing ramp and swept her up into a gigantic hug, spinning her around. 

And any lingering concern Rey might have felt was entirely forgotten as she saw a surprise visitor poking her head out of the Falcon — Rose Tico.

“Rose!” Rey exclaimed, opening her arms and giving Rose a hug almost as big as the one Chewie had just given her. 

Rey decided this day was simply too warm, beautiful, and happy to dwell on a premonition that might turn out to be about nothing at all. And as the students and guests all made their way to the dining hall together, that premonition was completely forgotten. 

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/rey_knightofren/49553097448/in/dateposted-public/)


	2. The Message

Rose hadn’t originally planned on traveling with Lando and Chewie to Ahch-To today. 

But after too many hectic weeks in a row at work, she decided she desperately needed some time away. She was finally taking Rey up on her invitation to come and stay on the island for a while, hoping this would be a chance to rest, recuperate, and spend time with friends she didn’t get to see nearly often enough. Lando and Chewie would pick her up and take her back home when they dropped off all the Padawans after their trip to the wildlife refuge. 

Although Rose had felt some last-minute hesitation about coming, the second she stepped off the _Falcon_ and saw Rey’s eyes light up, she knew she’d made the right decision. Ahch-To might not be called a “paradise” in the same way a planet like Naboo was, but Rose immediately felt there was something magical about this wild, untamed place. She could feel a brisk sea breeze blowing back her hair, and when she looked up, she saw a flock of Porgs flying overhead, chirping back and forth to each other. It was refreshing to be in a place where you could look up and see blue sky instead of the tops of skyscrapers. 

Rose wasn’t Force sensitive in the way that Rey was, but she could still understand what Rey meant about Ahch-To being a place of “balance.” This planet felt quiet and at peace, in a way Rose had never really experienced before. She felt the tension in her body easing already; yes, it was definitely the right decision to come here.

Rey hugged Rose for a long time, and Rose was in no hurry to break away. 

“I missed you,” Rey said, and Rose squeezed her back. 

“Missed you too. It’s so good to be here. I’m sorry it took me so long to accept your invitation — I can’t wait to explore this place!”

After the war with the First Order ended, Rose had been offered a military job with the fledgling government known as the “Galactic Alliance,” which was designed to replace the New Republic (and hopefully avoid making the same mistakes). Rose had been tempted, especially since it meant she’d get to keep working with several of her friends from the Resistance. But after spending so many years fighting, Rose’s heart was pulling her elsewhere. 

She’d set up her own mechanics shop on Coruscant, and though running your own business was hard work, Rose loved it. She loved working with her hands every day, and taking broken things and making them new again. Her job also gave her the freedom to spend more time volunteering. She regularly traveled to the fathier refuge to help take care of the animals, and she’d also been helping Finn with the Galactic Alliance’s former stormtrooper rehabilitation program, which took former First Order troopers and helped them build new lives that didn’t involve armor and guns. 

Rose could get so caught up in her work sometimes that she’d forget to rest or take some time for herself, which was why the past few weeks had been so stressful. She’d remedy that by spending a few weeks on Ahch-To, and then she’d be ready to dive back into her work whole-heartedly again. 

Rose gathered with everyone in the dining hall, where C-3PO was stirring a giant pot of stew that smelled both sweet and spicy. Rose’s stomach was rumbling already; this was definitely an upgrade from the battle rations she’d gotten so used to eating over the years. 

3PO and R2-D2 had both decided to stay with Rey and Ben after the war, and 3PO had volunteered to serve as manager of the Jedi academy. He’d also taken over the cooking because he’d felt no else could do it competently. 

“You’ve outdone yourself today, 3PO,” Lando remarked as he took a bite of the stew. “Never would have thought you had the makings of a master chef!”

“I am a droid of many talents,” 3PO said not-quite-so-humbly. “It is nice to finally be in a place where I am so well appreciated. The children regularly compliment my cooking, and several told me that they will miss me terribly during the break. They even invited me to come to their family’s home for a visit anytime I liked. Now if only I could get R2 to show me the same level of respect—”

3PO was drowned out by a stream of beeps from R2 that Rose was fairly certain wouldn’t be appropriate for young ears if they were translated.

As R2 drew 3PO into a lengthy argument, Ben sighed heavily. 

“They do this _every single day_ ,” he complained, but Lando just laughed. 

“It’s nice to know there are some constants in the galaxy, at least,” he replied. “They’ve been bickering for more than 50 years at this point — I guess that’s what best friends are for.” 

_Best friends for 50 years…_ Rose felt a slight pang as she reflected on the fact that she’d never get to spend that amount of time with her own best friend: her sister, Paige. The war had taken Paige far too soon, and while Rose was thankful for the time they did have together, she’d always be haunted by that sense of loss. 

She wished Paige was here with her now, to see the future made possible by the Resistance. Rey’s Jedi academy was an important part of that future, and Rose hoped all the children gathered around these tables today would enjoy life in a better galaxy than the one she’d grown up in. 

The academy on Ahch-To already felt like a giant family, and even though Rose, Lando, and Chewie were technically just visitors, they’d been immediately accepted into the group. In fact, Chewie had already been pulled away from their table and was playing a ball-tossing game with a group of younger children. 

“I wish I could be here for more of your visit,” Finn told Rose, drawing her attention back to the conversation. “Poe’s coming to pick me up sometime tonight after he finishes his mission for the Galactic Alliance. Although who knows when he’ll actually get here, since his schedule is at the mercy of a bunch of politicians.”

Unlike Rose, Poe Dameron _had_ accepted the job offered to him by the Galactic Alliance. His formal title was “ambassador of defense,” and he’d been put in charge of the stormtrooper rehabilitation program and other demilitarization projects. And because he was still a flyboy at heart and couldn’t bear to be grounded for too long, he also did plenty of flying for the Galactic Alliance, such as transporting dignitaries to meetings or delivering emergency aid supplies to worlds that needed it. 

“I’ll miss seeing you, Finn, but I hope you have a great time — you deserve a holiday too,” Rose said, and she meant it. 

Things had been a bit awkward between her and Finn right after the battle of Crait, when Rose had admitted she had feelings for him and he had gently told her that while he deeply valued their friendship, he wasn’t interested in her romantically. 

Thankfully, that awkward stage had passed now, and Rose would genuinely miss not spending a couple weeks together as friends. Even if she did sometimes catch herself feeling a little wistful, and pondering what might have been if Finn saw her differently. 

She still hoped she would find love someday, but for now she had enough to keep her busy, with her mechanics shop and her volunteer work. She trusted that someday that Force would bring someone to her, the same way it had brought Ben to Rey.

Rose polished off her last bite of soup and then stood to her feet. “Well Finn, I guess if your time is limited here, then you’d better start giving me a tour of the island. I want to see absolutely everything that makes this place so amazing.”

Finn gave her a slight bow. “It would be my honor. How would you like to go meet some Porgs?”

***

Not long after lunch, the parents and guardians began arriving to pick up their children, and Lando and Chewie also took off in the Falcon for the wildlife refuge. The island always felt strangely quiet after the end of a term; no more shouts or laughter or excited chattering — just the sound of waves crashing against the rocky shore.

By the time Ben, Rey, Finn, Rose, and the droids had finished their standard end-of-term cleaning of the dining hall and dormitories, it was nearly twilight. After a quick dinner, Ben found himself wandering up to the cliff overlooking the academy to spend some time meditating as he watched the sunset. Rose and Rey were playing a rowdy game of Sabacc by the campfire with Finn, who was still waiting on Poe to come pick him up. 

While Ben knew he would be more than welcome to join in, Rey seemed to sense that he needed a little of what she called “introvert time.” She’d given him a quick kiss on the cheek and whispered that she’d come find him later. 

Once he reached the top of the cliff, Ben sat cross-legged in the grass, drawing the hood of his cloak up over his head to ward off the evening chill. He stared across the rippling waters of the Ahch-To ocean, noticing that the waters seemed a little choppier tonight. He wondered if a storm was blowing in, and as if in response, he heard a gentle rumble of thunder far off in the distance. Ahch-To could produce some pretty wild thunderstorms, but this one was at least an hour away. He still had some time to watch the sunset. 

As the sun sank lower and lower behind the horizon, slowly transforming the sky from orange to red and then to deep purple, he tried to focus on his breathing, calming his thoughts and emotions. 

In the past year, he’d gotten better at sensing the balance in the Force, now that he didn’t have the dark side constantly dragging him down. But sometimes it was still hard. Even though he was free of “Kylo Ren” and never wanted to become that man again, his old persona still haunted him. 

He’d copied the passage about redemption from Qui-Gon Jinn’s writings into his own journal, and he read it at least once a day. He reminded himself that making peace with his past was a journey — he wouldn’t get there in one day. 

He still couldn’t believe that he’d been given this incredible second chance, especially when it came to Rey. She certainly didn’t owe him anything, and he would have been satisfied just to learn that she’d found happiness after the war, even if that happiness didn’t include a life with him. 

But she’d told him that yes, she really did love him — and had been in love with him at least since the moment their hands touched through the Force in the hut on Ahch-To. Wherever their paths led them now, she wanted them to make that journey together. 

Rey said she’d already forgiven him when she pulled him out of the World Between Worlds, but he’d apologized anyway, because he believed it was important for her to hear those words from him. He’d apologized to all of them — to Lando, to Chewie, and to Finn, Rose, and Poe. Lando and Chewie had been the first to forgive him, both of them saying that was what their friend Han would have wanted. Ben was humbled by their compassion, and it felt good to call them “family” again.

Rose had said that if Rey vouched for Ben, that was more than enough for her. For Finn, the process of forgiveness had taken longer, and Ben had completely understood. It wasn’t easy for Finn to forget everything the First Order had taken from him, and he needed time to separate his memories of the man Ben used to be from the man he was now. But as they worked together as teachers at the Jedi academy — and spent a lot of time having long, difficult conversations — they’d both found healing. 

Ben would never forget the time he thanked Finn for helping him with a project, and Finn had clapped him on the back and casually replied, “That’s what friends are for.”

It had been so long since someone had called him their “friend”; Snoke and the Knights of Ren had never treated him with the same openness and kindness that Finn did. 

Ben and Poe would probably never be best friends — they butted heads too often for that — but Ben kept working on accepting the fact that Poe was just Poe, and he was actually a lot like Han Solo, just in different ways than Ben was. 

“Hey, handsome.”

Ben lurched, startled by the unexpected interruption. He looked up and saw Rey standing over him, grinning. He could feel his cheeks flushing, both at her compliment and at the fact he’d been oblivious to her arrival. 

“Either you’re distracted tonight, or I’m getting really good at being sneaky in the Force,” Rey said, plopping down beside him and resting her head on his shoulder. Ben wrapped part of his cloak around her shoulders, and she snuggled up closer to him. 

For a while they sat in silence, staring up at the sky as the first few stars began twinkling in the darkness. 

“You know what? You make me really, really happy, Ben Solo-Organa,” she said, and he glanced over at her, just drinking in the sight of her. She’d taken out the buns she normally wore during training/teaching sessions to keep her hair out of her face, and her hair now dropped in gentle waves down her shoulders, tousled by the wind. Her eyes were sparkling just like the stars overhead, and to him she would always be the most beautiful woman in the galaxy. He loved her so much it hurt — he couldn’t believe that even after all he’d done, this fierce force of nature really did love him too. 

“You’re supposed to say, ‘You make me really happy too, Rey,” she teased, and Ben blushed again. It embarrassed him how easily she could make him blush, but she thought it was adorable and sometimes tried to get him to do it on purpose. 

“You _do_ make me happy,” he said, planting a kiss on top of her head. “Happier than I deserve.” 

He couldn’t believe he’d fooled himself into thinking that being supreme leader of the First Order was better than this. Being here on this island with Rey — this was the only thing he really wanted. He’d once thought he was too broken to be fixed, but she had taken the shattered pieces of his heart and made him whole again. Someday he hoped he could give her a gift as wonderful as everything she’d given him. 

Actually, he _did_ know what she wanted: a request that was both simple and terrifying. He knew that Rey was ready to start a family, but she was being patient and waiting until he was ready too. 

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to have a family with her; he just needed to overcome his doubts about his ability to succeed as a father. 

Ben was afraid of making a mistake and messing everything up; having a small child who looked up to you and loved you and wanted to be just like you was a heavy responsibility. The Skywalker family legacy was filled with so much darkness, and Ben feared that he would somehow pass that on to the next generation. 

He had to keep reminding himself that he just as he had the power to choose his own destiny, any children he had would also be able to choose their own path. Besides, Palpatine was no longer around to manipulate future generations of Skywalkers like he had with Anakin, Luke, Leia, and Ben. 

Maybe it was time to fully put the past behind him, and dare to dream about the future... 

A flash of lightning lit up the sky in the distance, followed shortly by a loud rumble of thunder. Rey squeezed his arm and jumped to her feet. 

“It looks like all the Porgs have taken shelter, so we probably should too,” she said. “Also, remember when we got caught in that sudden downpour last time and then 3PO spent the rest of the night lecturing us about the dangers of Ahch-To weather?”

As if to emphasize her point that it was probably time to go inside, the first few droplets of rain started falling from the sky, splattering on the rocks poking up from the grass. However, Ben wanted to linger one moment more, to tell Rey something important before he lost his nerve.

“Rey, I’ve been thinking,” he said as he stood beside her, and she smiled at him mischievously. 

“Do you mean ‘thinking’ or ‘brooding’?” she asked, and he pretended to give her an indignant look. 

“Hey!” he shot back. “I don’t ‘brood’ as much as I used to...do I?”

“No, I’m just giving you a hard time,” Rey said, grinning at him. “But I’ll tell you a little secret...I do think ‘Broody Ben’ is pretty hot.”

He didn’t blush this time, and for that he was proud of himself. “I was just thinking more about the last conversation we had up on this cliff before a rainstorm,” he said, and she glanced up at him quizzically. 

“You mean before 3PO lectured us about getting caught in the rain?” she asked. “Weren’t we talking about the future of the academy and…” Her voice trailed off, as she suddenly realized what he was referring to. “Oh,” she said, her voice going small and quiet. It was her turn to blush now. 

“I...I think I’m ready for us to have a baby,” he said, tucking his fingers under her chin and gently lifting it so that she was staring up into his eyes again. 

“I don’t want to rush you,” Rey said, though he could see the excitement building in her eyes. “I promised that I’d wait as long as you wanted, and I mean it. I’m not going to force you into anything.”

“I know,” Ben said. “And I’m incredibly grateful for that. Believe me, I’m still afraid — I don’t think I’ll ever STOP being afraid of taking such a big step. But I’m tired of letting…” He paused and swallowed, still finding it difficult to say the name. “Of letting everything Emperor Palpatine did to us in the past define our future.” He shouldn’t have to be afraid of saying that name anymore; it had lost all its power now. 

“Me too,” Rey said, tears glistening in her eyes. She reached up and held his face in her hands. Even though they’d been married for a year now, being this close to her never failed to utterly transfix him. He could feel his heartbeat speeding up, and through the Force he could sense hers doing the same. 

She pulled him towards her, and she kissed him as the rain began falling in earnest. They were going to be thoroughly soaked soon, but neither of them cared. He spun her around, and she laughed — a pure, joyous sound that chased away any lingering doubts he might have had about his decision. He wanted to spend every day for the rest of his life making her this perfectly, unabashedly—

“Rey! Ben!”

The spell was broken by the sound of Finn calling to them as he ran towards the clifftop. Ben was sure he’d tease them about catching them hiding up on the cliff and making out AGAIN, but for some reason Finn did not appear to be in the mood to joke tonight. 

“I got a message from Poe,” he said, and Rey looked at her friend, a concerned expression on her face. Apparently she’d also sensed through the Force that something wasn’t quite right. 

“Has he been delayed again with a mission for the Galactic Alliance?” she asked, but Finn shook his head. 

“I..I don’t know,” he said. “But I think you both should come and listen to this message right away.”


	3. An Unexpected Reunion

The warm, giddy feeling inside Rey’s chest evaporated the instant she saw the expression on Finn’s face. And by the time they’d followed Finn back to the dining hall, that feeling of warmth had twisted into a cold knot of dread. 

Rey tried to tell herself that she was overreacting. Finn hadn’t said there was anything seriously wrong yet, and if there was, surely he would have told them already. 

But something definitely wasn’t right, and during her time in the Resistance, she’d gotten used to most “news” actually being “bad news.” 

They found Rose already sitting at a table in the dining hall, with C-3PO and R2-D2 standing quietly behind her. The look on Rose’s face was difficult to read; it was solemn, but also more than a little puzzled. 

“Poe didn’t call my personal comlink,” Finn said, and then amended, “Well, at least not like he normally does. He sent me a message on this old secure channel reserved for top-secret Resistance missions. It hasn’t been used since the battle on Exegol.”

“Does he sound like he’s in danger?” Rey asked, and Finn shrugged. He was desperately trying to act calmer than he felt, but Rey could sense his unease through the Force. 

“He used some kind of voice encryption program, and when it translated it came out super garbled, like you can’t even tell it’s his voice.” Finn took out his comlink from his pocket, where he’d stashed it to protect it from the rain. “Here, I might as well play it for you and let you decide for yourselves what you think.”

The first few seconds of the message were filled with a loud burst of static, followed by several words that were impossible to understand, even after Finn had run them through the translator. 

“Finn…need…something’s come up…meet me at old…Resistance…Qwan’dar…soon as you can. Don’t wait…I…”

Another burst of static, and then the transmission cut out.

For a moment Rey and her friends all stared silently at each other, processing what they’d heard. The rain was now falling in heavy sheets outside and beating against the sides of the building. An ominous rumble of thunder shook the walls, and for the first time since Rey had come to Ahch-To to set up the Jedi academy, the Force felt…unsettled. 

“Well, of course we must go and help General Dameron, but I must advise you all to wait until this dreadful storm has passed,” C-3PO spoke up. “It simply wouldn’t be safe to—”

“Wait a minute, 3PO,” Ben interrupted. “I think the first thing we have to ask ourselves here is whether that message is actually from Poe, and if this could possibly be a trap.”

“If Poe’s in trouble, we need to go as soon as possible!” Finn argued, but Rose held up a hand. 

“No, Ben’s right — we need to think about this. I know you’re worried Finn — we all are — but we don’t want to walk into some kind of trap.”

“But who would be using a top-secret channel and pretending to be Poe?” Finn countered. “As far as we know, the First Order never hacked that channel during the war, and it’s been silent for a full year — at least until now. If this is a trap, who’s doing it and why?”

_The First Order is gone. Palpatine is gone. The Sith are gone._

Rey took a deep breath to calm herself, reminding herself that those three facts were still true. Whatever was going on here, it had nothing to do with those old threats rising again. 

“We do know the Resistance base on Qwan’dar was discovered, so more people besides us know about that place,” Rey said. “However, I agree with Finn — we have no reason to believe the secure channel has been compromised. If there’s a chance Poe’s in some kind of danger, we have to go help him. And I’m sorry, 3PO, but I think we should leave now — storm or no storm.”

Rey could tell Ben was still hesitating, but he also didn’t want to argue with her. 

“Well, if we’re gonna go, we probably shouldn’t take the transport we have here,” he said. “No way will it hold up in weather like this.”

“What about Chewie and the _Falcon_?” Finn asked. “I know he just landed at the wildlife refuge, but I think he should be part of this too. He’d want to know if Poe was in trouble.”

“Once the weather lets up, R2 and I can take the transport to the refuge and help Lando and the other volunteers watch over the children in Chewie’s place,” 3PO volunteered. “Although I must protest — even with the Falcon, I don’t believe anyone should be going anywhere in this storm.”

Rey knew C-3PO was probably right, but she was more than willing to risk the potential danger in order to keep a friend safe. There was definitely something strange about this whole situation, but since she couldn’t feel any direct promptings in the Force, they were just going to have to take a chance. 

***

Finn felt absolutely terrible. 

He hadn’t meant to sneak up on Rey and Ben in the middle of what was obviously a very private moment on the cliff. Walking in on a couple’s “let’s have a baby” conversation was the height of awkwardness. 

At any other time, he would have quietly backed away, dying of embarrassment and pretending he’d never heard a word of it. His friends deserved some happiness after all they’d been through, even though he _definitely_ didn’t want to hear the details about this particular plan. 

But he was also really, really worried about Poe, and he’d felt the message couldn’t wait. Although he was trying to follow the Jedi path and trust the Force, it was still hard not to give into fear sometimes. He’d lost too many friends and allies during the war, and he desperately wanted to believe all that was over. 

Maybe Poe’s ship unexpectedly ran out of fuel, or some other low-level problem. But then why had he gone to all the trouble of encrypting the message? 

Although the thunderstorm made for a wild ride out of Ahch-To, with Rey and Chewie in the cockpit it was about as smooth a flight as you could possibly hope for considering the circumstances. Chewie locked in the coordinates for Qwan’dar and then the _Falcon_ jumped into hyperspace, the stars blurring into streaks around them. 

Ben was currently talking with Rey and Chewie up in the cockpit, while Rose waited beside the empty Dejarik gaming table with Finn, trying to comfort him. 

“Poe’s gonna be okay,” she said, gently squeezing his hand. “He knows how to handle himself in dangerous situations.”

Finn squeezed her hand back, grateful for the gesture of support. “I’m really sorry that you had to get caught up in all this, Rose,” he said. “You told me how excited you were to rest and relax for a few days on Ahch-To, and now you’re going back out on a mission.”

“Poe would do the same for me if I was in trouble,” Rose replied. “Hopefully this is just some kind of misunderstanding, and we can all laugh about it later.”

“If this is Poe’s idea of a practical joke, I’m gonna kill him,” Finn said, and they both laughed, although the sound was hollow. Neither of them believed this was a prank, but maybe the truth would be just as innocuous.

Chewie and Rey pulled the _Falcon_ out of hyperspace a little earlier than they normally would have, so they could approach Qwan’dar from a distance and see if anything felt suspicious. However, no other ships appeared to be orbiting the planet, and they were able to land without incident near the site of the old Resistance base. 

Qwan’dar was a desert world, though it was very different from Jakku, Tatooine, and Pasaana, the other desert planets Rey was most familiar with. The sand here was a rusty red color and very coarse (you definitely wouldn’t want to go walking barefoot over this kind of sand). Clumps of dry, tan-colored grasses were scattered throughout the landscape, growing about as high as Rey was tall. Every once in a while there would be a thin, gnarled tree, which grew thorns instead of leaves. 

Some might call Qwan’dar starkly beautiful, but to Finn it seemed lonely and desolate. Standing in the desert made one feel too exposed; there were very few places here to take shelter above ground. Thankfully, the Resistance base hadn’t been on the surface. 

Finn and his friends quickly found the hidden entrance to the cave where the Resistance had set up a secret base for a few months during the war. The temperature immediately dropped as they stepped inside, and Rey, Finn, and Ben all lit up their lightsabers to help guide the way through the darkness. 

Even though they’d all been here before (well, except for Ben), Rose let out a little gasp of wonder as the lightsabers turned on and the ceiling began to sparkle. The crystals in the rocks above their heads reflected back the light from their weapons, creating a kaleidoscope of colors on the walls and floors of the cave. 

Finn would have been impressed too, and stopped for a moment to take it all in, if he wasn’t so worried about Poe. 

He’d tried calling Poe by comlink several times but had received no response. That wasn’t necessarily a surprise — the structure of the cave interfered with communications, and it was possible none of his calls were getting through. But it was also possible something worse had happened…

“Poe!” Finn called out as they rounded a corner and approached the main “room” in the cave where the Resistance had been stationed. “Poe, are you here?”

“Beep! Beep!”

Finn heard the distinctive sounds of a droid that had to be BB-8, and he nearly collapsed against the cave wall in relief. This wasn’t a trap after all. 

“Finn?” Poe came around the corner, and he too looked surprised and relieved to find his friends standing there. He gave Finn a big hug, and BB-8 rolled around the group in continuous circles, beeping excitedly. 

“I’m so glad you’re all right,” Poe said. “I came as soon as I heard your message. I was afraid something really bad had happened.”

“Wait — what?” Ben asked. “You heard our message? We came here because we got a message from you.”

Poe frowned, his eyebrows bunching in confusion. “I never sent you all a message. Finn sent me a message saying that I needed to come to Qwan’dar as soon as possible.”

Finn’s sense of relief at finding Poe and BB-8 immediately began to sour, replaced by that all-too-familiar feeling of dread that he’d learned to live with while fighting the First Order. 

“We didn’t send you a message either, Poe,” he said. “We thought _you_ were the one in danger.”

“Well, if I didn’t contact you, and you didn’t contact me, what the hell is going on?” Poe asked. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this…”

“Wait!”

A new voice emerged from the shadows at the edge of the cave, and Finn and his friends immediately turned around, raising their lightsabers or blasters. 

“I can explain everything!” the voice continued. “But first, you have to promise not to shoot me.”

Finn and Poe looked at each other in shock; they both recognized that voice, though it was just about the last person in the galaxy they’d expected to find here. 

A tall, red-haired man stepped out of the shadows, revealing himself to be none other than former First Order general Armitage Hux. 

***

_Note: “Heirs of the Force” is designed to be a stand-alone story, but the next chapter will refer briefly to a previous story I wrote called “Be With Me...Always,” which explains how Hux survived the events of “The Rise of Skywalker.” I’ll recap all of that in the next chapter of “Heirs of the Force,” so no need to read the previous story, but in case you’re interested, here’s a link!<https://archiveofourown.org/works/21974731/chapters/52436464>_


	4. The Voice in the Shadows

“General Hux? Are you serious?” Poe exclaimed, staring at the First Order officer in disbelief. “I swear, I think I really am going to kill you this time!”

“Please, I guarantee this is important.” Hux took a cautious step forward, keeping his hands raised in the air, where everyone could see them. He was very keenly aware of all the weapons currently pointed in his direction. 

“So you’re the one who actually sent us those messages?” Finn asked. “I can’t believe you tricked us into coming here!”

“Well, what was I supposed to do?” Hux replied indignantly. “If I’d sent you a message admitting, ‘Hello, this is General Hux, please meet me at the former Resistance base on Qwan’dar because I have something important to tell you!’ you’d have either ignored my call or told the Galactic Alliance to come and arrest me. I had to think of a way to motivate you all to come here. So yes, I pretended to be one of your friends when I sent you those messages, and I’m sorry if I caused a panic, but obviously, it worked.”

“Well, what a great idea, Hux,” Finn said, his voice filled with sarcasm. He turned to his friends. “I say we stun him and take him back to the Galactic Alliance right now.”

“Stop — don’t do that yet!”

Rose couldn’t believe she was standing up for General Hux. The man didn’t really deserve it, and everyone was now giving her curious looks. But she had a strange feeling that there was something significant at work here. Despite the fact they were all extremely annoyed that Hux had tricked them, she sensed they needed to hear what he had to say. 

Many people in the galaxy would have been surprised to learn that Hux was still alive after his reported death at the hands of Allegiant General Pryde. However, this actually wasn’t the first time Rose and her friends had run into the First Order officer after the war ended. When Rey had led them all back to Exegol a year ago, seeking a portal that would allow her to pull Ben out of the World Between Worlds, they’d run across Hux near the Sith planet. 

He’d told them he managed to survive Allegiant General Pryde’s assassination attempt by wearing a blaster-proof vest, pretending to be dead, and then escaping from the trash compactor he’d been tossed into. He was poking around Exegol because he was searching for Sith antiquities to sell illegally. 

Obviously, Rose and her friends weren’t okay with his newly chosen career path, but they’d let him go when he promised he wouldn’t try to uncover dark side artifacts anymore. Although they didn’t exactly trust him, Rose had thought he’d learned at least one or two lessons from the experience (while they were on Exegol, he’d inadvertently broken a holocron, releasing a Sith spirit that had given them all quite a scare). But even if he’d been true to his word and had stopped looking for Sith artifacts, apparently he’d still managed to get himself into some sort of trouble now.

“What’s so important and serious that you had to send us a fake message to trick us into coming here?” Rose asked Hux, before Poe decided to take Finn’s advice and just stun the First Order general.

Hux sighed, and Rose could see he was still trying to maintain his sense of dignity despite his exhaustion and his challenging circumstances. He did look better than he had when they’d run into him on Exegol; he’d at least gotten some sleep since then, and he was wearing civilian clothes — regular pants, shirt, and vest — instead of his officer’s uniform. Yet he still had the haunted look of a man on the run. 

“You had better not say you need us to bail you out of trouble because you’ve been hunting for Sith artifacts again,” Poe cut in, and Hux glared. 

“Yes, I have stopped selling Sith antiquities, just as you ordered me to,” he said. “But believe me, as a former member of the First Order, it isn’t easy to find alternative employment in the new Galactic Alliance. If you must know, my work remains of questionable legality, but unlike Allegiant General Pryde I’m not trying to bring bloody Palpatine back from the dead again. So at least you should be happy about that.”

“Well, what are you doing now?” Ben asked, and Hux turned his steely gaze towards the man he’d once had to address as “supreme leader.” The two had long been rivals, and Rose could see the lingering resentment festering in Hux’s eyes as he stared at Ben. Yet Ben’s expression was surprisingly neutral. He still might not like Hux, but he didn’t carry the same anger he used to. It must be strange for Hux to see the former “Kylo Ren” like this. 

“I’m a contractor for Crimson Dawn now,” Hux explained. “I’m sure at least some of you have heard of that crime syndicate. It’s not as active as it once was, but still a decent organization to consult if you need information or items that aren’t exactly legal.” 

As proof, Hux pulled up the sleeve of his shirt and revealed a black ink tattoo of half circles nested inside each other; though Rose had never seen it before, she assumed it was the emblem of Crimson Dawn. Hux didn’t look happy about the mark, but Rose supposed that Crimson Dawn had required it as a guarantee of his loyalty. 

“I first made contact with Crimson Dawn while I was still a part of the First Order,” Hux went on. “After Snoke died under suspicious circumstances” — he paused and gave Ben a pointed look — “Kylo Ren was obsessed with locking down all threats to his power, be it people, weapons, etc. The First Order paid Crimson Dawn quite handsomely to stay out of our business and also to pass along any useful information they might learn that could help our cause. 

“While the Knights of Ren were traipsing all about the galaxy looking for dark side artifacts and signs of the Emperor, Crimson Dawn was feeding us far more practical and useful information — or at least that was my opinion,” Hux said. “By the end of the war I had amassed an extensive collection of files filled with thousands of lines of data. It probably would have done Kylo Ren some good to actually read these reports, but he always seemed to be distracted by his hunt for a certain scavenger from Jakku. He tried to pretend that finding her was vital to the war effort, but we all knew he was just madly in love with her and pining after—”

“Hux, please get to the damn point!” Poe exclaimed, reaching a point of exasperation. To add emphasis, Chewie followed that up with a low, rumbling growl that made Hux flinch. 

“Fine!” Hux said. “After you found me on Exegol a year ago, I decided to follow up with my old Crimson Dawn contact to see if they had any work for me. I’m not proud of having to do that, but it keeps me busy and off the grid. 

“Then, two days ago I got a message from an anonymous Crimson Dawn operative warning me to take a look at one of my old First Order files: ‘Project: Shattered Glass.’ Unfortunately, that wasn’t one of the files I was able to steal before I had to leave the First Order rather abruptly. The operative was rather insistent that someone needed to look at it, and she offered to bring me a copy in person at a nightclub in Coruscant tomorrow night. She said I should also bring ‘a Galactic Alliance representative and a Jedi, if possible, because this is bigger than all of us.’ Since you all are the only Galactic Alliance representatives and Jedi I sort-of trust, here you are.”

_Bigger than all of us…_ Rose felt her skin crawl as she thought of what could be so serious that someone wanted to bring together Jedi, the Galactic Alliance, and former First Order and Resistance agents to address it. She couldn’t think of anything worse than the threat they’d already faced: Palpatine’s so-called “final order.” There couldn’t be anything more terrible than that...could there?

“So Hux, let me get this straight,” Poe said, finally breaking the uncomfortable silence. “There’s a lot to process here, so let me know if I’m missing anything. But as I understand it, you hacked into a top-secret Resistance channel and pretended to be me and Finn so that you could trick us and all our friends into coming here so we could hear an ‘important message.’ Except, this ‘important message’ isn’t even a real message: it’s just an invitation to go to another location and meet with some unidentified and possibly hostile contact who allegedly has a real message for us but it could still be a trap. Did I get that right?”

Hux’s face flushed bright red. “Well, technically I—”

“Great, thanks for confirming all that,” Poe said, raising his blaster. “All right, Finn, I’m going to go ahead and stun him.”

“Can’t you at least discuss amongst yourselves what you want to do about this?” Hux said, his tone rising in pitch. He was attempting to sound confident, but Rose could hear a slight tremor of nervousness undercutting his voice.

“What’s there to discuss?” Poe grumbled, but Rose placed her hand gently but firmly on his arm, signaling at him to lower his blaster. 

Reluctantly, Poe pointed the weapon towards the floor (though he didn’t return it to its holster). Rose and her friends stepped away from Hux so they could talk at least somewhat in private but still keep an eye on the First Order general. 

“So, do we think Hux is full of Bantha poodoo, or is there a chance this project ‘Shattered Glass,’ or whatever it is, is actually a real threat?” Finn asked, and everyone turned to Ben. 

“Do you remember anything related to ‘Shattered Glass’?” Rose asked, and Ben’s cheeks reddened. 

“Hux was actually, uh, right when he accused me of not reading his reports. If ‘Shattered Glass’ didn’t have anything to do with the Resistance or the Emperor, I probably just deleted it.”

“Well, I don’t trust Hux,” Poe said, and Rose shot him a look. 

“Yes, Poe, we already know how you feel. I’ll admit, I don’t like the idea of going on a mission with General Armitage Hux of all people, but I also find it hard to believe that he made up such an elaborate, complicated story. If he just wanted to kill us, he would have done it by now, and he wouldn’t have invited us into a situation where he was so clearly outnumbered. Whatever’s going on, it’s got him really worried — I can see it in his eyes. He was willing to risk coming here, unarmed, to ask us for help.”

“Finn, Rey, Ben...do you sense anything in the Force about this?” Poe asked. “Because otherwise, I’m still voting to stun Hux.”

“The Force feels...clouded right now,” Rey said grimly. Rose could tell how frustrated her friend was; Rey wanted to be able to provide a clear direction for them, but it appeared they’d have to simply decide to either go with Poe’s gut feeling and arrest Hux, or Rose’s gut feeling that they should trust him. 

Ben put a comforting hand on Rey’s shoulder, as if to signal that even if she was frustrated, she wasn’t in this alone. He hadn’t offered much input to the conversation yet, and Rose wondered if that was because it was still hard for him to talk about his associations with the First Order. Considering his past feelings regarding General Hux, he was probably in Poe’s camp of “let’s stun him and arrest him.”

But to Rose’s surprise, when Ben decided to speak up, he agreed with her. “Look, you all know about my pasts dealing with Hux and our, well, antagonistic relationship. But Rose is right — it is strange that he was willing to come here and ask for our help. Although we probably won’t get him to actually admit to it, he is afraid about something. We should probably go with him to Coruscant and hear what this Crimson Dawn operative has to say, just in case.”

“If the Force is clouded, then that must mean something is off balance,” Rey said. “I’m also voting that we go to Coruscant.” 

Chewie growled in agreement, and Finn also nodded, shooting Poe an apologetic look first. 

“Well, it looks like I’m outnumbered then,” Poe said with a sigh. “But we’re gonna keep an eye on Hux every single second from here on out, and we’ll be the ones to dictate how this operation goes, not him.”

“I expected you to say that!” Hux called out to them, revealing that he’d been eavesdropping on them the whole time (Rose had expected as much). “But I have one small request of my own: this mission will involve just us — no calling in backup from the Galactic Alliance. I don’t want to be carted off to a jail cell after I introduce you to my contact.”

“Fair enough,” Rey said with a nod. “It looks like we have a deal then.”

It wasn’t really funny, but Rose did find some irony in the fact that the vacation she’d been so looking forward to was now being cut short by a mission that was taking her back to her current homeworld of Coruscant. 

_So much for a week of relaxation and reflection,_ she thought. 

“Are we just going straight to Coruscant?” Poe said, but Hux shook his head. 

“Not with you all dressed like...that,” he said, gazing at them all judgmentally. “We aren’t meeting my contact at some grimy little bar — we’re going to the ‘Spire of the Sun,’ which is _the_ fanciest underworld night club in the sector. You can’t walk in looking so casual.” He phrased “casual” as though it were a dirty word.

“Now you’re adding a shopping trip to this ordeal?” Poe said, but Hux surprised them again. 

“I assumed you’d all say yes to my plan, so I went ahead and brought disguises for everyone,” he said. “Unlike you all, I like to carefully plan for a mission before launching it, instead of just making it up as I go along.” 

“Are you sure we can’t just change our minds and stun him?” Poe muttered, but there was no going back now. They’d found themselves an unlikely ally on this strange mission. 

“Well, let’s see what you brought,” Finn said to Hux as they all headed back to the surface of Qwan’dar.


	5. Spire of the Sun

Ben stared at himself in the mirror, trying to adjust his tie so that it wasn’t crooked anymore. 

It had been a long time since he’d worn a fancy suit like this; maybe not since childhood, when he’d accompanied his mother to some official New Republic function. His father Han had always hated dressing up — and had complained about it, _loudly_ , every time he had to do it. 

But Han still made sure to teach his son how to properly tie a tie, and Ben thought of his father now as he gave his tie one final adjustment and tucked the loose ends back inside his suit jacket. It was a bittersweet little moment, and reminded Ben of all the ways his father was still with him. 

“All right, I’m coming out now, but you have to promise not to laugh.”

Ben heard Rey’s muffled voice from within the walk-in closet inside their room in the _Millennium Falcon_. She’d chosen several dresses to try on from Hux’s supply of disguises but was self-conscious about letting anyone see her until she’d selected just the right one, or, in her words, “the one I’m least embarrassed to be seen in.”

This room and prodigious walk-in closet had belonged to Lando a long time ago, back when he owned the Falcon. Ben was pretty sure that closet had seen plenty of action that had nothing to do with storing or trying on clothes (or so Lando had once told him with a wink). Ben really didn’t want to think about whether Lando was referring to his own escapades, or Ben’s parents. 

“I think I look ridiculous,” Rey said, still inside the closet, and Ben chuckled. 

“No, _I_ look ridiculous,” he said. “I’m sure you look...”

Ben’s voice trailed off as Rey stepped out of the closet. He felt like he’d been punched in the gut — but in a very, _very_ good way. 

Rey was absolutely stunning. She’d twisted her hair into an elegant, braided knot, letting a few wispy strands hang loose on the sides of her face. She’d borrowed some shimmery gray eyeshadow from Rose that made her eyes seem to sparkle even more than they normally did. The strapless dress she’d picked out was made from a silky fabric that was dark purple, almost black, and covered with sequins that shone every time the light caught them. 

“Wow..uh…” Ben was trying to compliment her, but words seemed to be failing him right now. He swallowed. “You look amazing, Rey — absolutely amazing.”

“I feel like a little kid who’s been caught playing dress up in clothes that don’t belong to her,” Rey said, giggling nervously. “Everybody in that Coruscant nightclub is going to see right away that I’m an impostor.”

“You don’t look like an impostor to me,” Ben said, taking a step towards her. He put both his hands on her bare shoulders and looked down into her eyes. “That dress looks like it was made for you.” 

Rey’s cheeks flushed. “Blast it, I don’t know why I’m so self-conscious about this. I’ve just never worn a dress this fancy before, and I’m worried I…”

“Well, I think you look like a princess,” Ben said, brushing back one of the strands of hair that had fallen across her eyes. “Of course, no matter what you’re wearing, you’re always going to be the most beautiful woman in the galaxy to me, Rey of Jakku.”

Rey pretended to give him a scandalized look. “Are you trying to seduce me, Sir?”

He responded with a lopsided grin that probably looked a lot like his father’s whenever he was teasing Leia. “I don’t know...is it working?”

Rey twirled around, the train of her dress swirling around her and sparkling in the dim lights of the room. “Why don’t you come get me after this party, and let’s find out?”

Ben caught her by the waist as she swung towards him, and his hand slid up her back, pulling her in closer. “It’s a deal,” he said.

***

Rey slipped on her shoes, a pair of sparkly flats that matched her dress, and then tucked her hand inside Ben’s as they walked out to join the others in the Falcon’s lounge. 

She was thankful for that little romantic moment with Ben, because it provided some much-needed distraction from the tenseness of the situation they were all about to walk into. She’d been dying for Ben to kiss her after he’d told her “It’s a deal”; every point where his fingers touched her skin had felt like fire, and she wanted to completely lose herself in those endless, deep brown eyes of his. Unfortunately, Poe had picked _that_ moment to knock on their door and inform them it was almost time to go. 

Rey was still troubled by the fact the currents of the Force felt so muddied, but there was nothing she could do about that now. At least Hux hadn’t tried to stab any of them in the back yet; so far, that was the only positive sign the universe had given them that they’d made the right choice. 

Whatever his faults, Hux hadn’t been lying when he promised he’d brought them all disguises fancy enough to sneak them into a high-class nightclub. Poe and Finn both looked very handsome in their suits, Poe’s made from a dark blue fabric and Finn’s from a dark maroon. Rose was gorgeous in a long, sparkling red dress with halter straps and a V-shaped neckline. Her gold eyeshadow added additional shimmer to her ensemble. Chewie had brushed his fur until it gleamed. 

Even Hux didn’t look too bad; he was wearing a simple black suit, similar to Ben’s, and he’d brushed his hair into a looser style than his normal slicked-back look. 

“Well, you all look rather nice, actually,” Hux said, looking them up and down and finally nodding in approval. “I had my doubts, but let me just say I’m surprised and impressed.”

“Wow, thanks for that backhanded compliment,” Poe grumbled. “Can you please just get to the details of this mission?”

“All right then,” Hux said, more than a little miffed. “Once we land on Coruscant, I’ve arranged for us to park in a private hangar where no questions will be asked and this infamous hunk of junk we’re flying won’t draw too much attention.”

Chewie growled at Hux’s reference to the _Falcon_ as a “hunk of junk.”

“We’re supposed to walk into the Spire of the Sun nightclub and begin mingling casually,” Hux continued, quickly moving on. “My contact will reach out to us when she’s ready; we’re not supposed to make any moves until then.”

“About how long will we have to ‘mingle’?” Poe asked, and Hux shrugged. 

“How should I bloody know? Crimson Dawn never gives me many details in advance. I may have been a high-ranking First Order general, but in Crimson Dawn I’m at the very bottom of the chain of command. We’ll just have to be patient, and wait until my contact chooses to approach us. Can I count on you all to blend into the crowd and not cause any shenanigans until then?”

“I don’t know...causing shenanigans at a fancy Coruscant nightclub sounds pretty fun,” Finn teased with a wink, and when Hux shot him a glare, Finn just laughed.

“Relax, I’m kidding. We’ll behave ourselves.”

“Also, don’t just cluster together in some corner, making it obvious you’ve come as a group,” Hux said. “Spire of the Sun is the sort of nightclub prized for the anonymity it offers, but if you’re too obvious, you might draw some unwanted attention.”

“What happens if we do get recognized?” Rose said. “Were the owners of the Spire of the Sun pro-Resistance during the war?”

“As I said, Spire of the Sun prides itself on being a place that offers its customers complete anonymity,” Hux said, not quite answering her question. “You’d have to make a pretty big scene in order to get yourself noticed. As long as you pay the exorbitant cover charge — or walk in with someone with a Crimson Dawn connection, which in this case is me — you’ll be left alone.” 

There was a sudden beeping in the cockpit, and Chewie glanced over at Rey, letting her know it was time for them to prepare the _Falcon_ for landing. They weren’t far from Coruscant now. 

“Well, let’s see if I can still land the Falcon wearing a fancy dress,” Rey said, picking up the train of her dress so she wouldn’t trip over it when she climbed into the pilot’s seat. 

She hoped Hux was right and that this mission would truly be as simple as he said. However, she’d been on plenty of missions for the Resistance that started out “simple” and grew into something else entirely. There was still a lot that could go wrong between them leaving the _Falcon_ and the contact walking up to them in the Spire of the Sun (and that was assuming the contact was actually who she said she was).

It was still very possible they were all walking into a trap. 

***

The Spire of the Sun actually wasn’t much to look at from the outside. 

When the speeder Hux had rented pulled to a stop in front of the nightclub, Ben actually wondered if Hux had gotten the address wrong. The former First Order general had talked up Spire of the Sun so much that it seemed odd such a “prestigious” (or “infamous,” depending on your perspective) nightclub was housed in such a plain structure. 

The building was at least 20 stories of dark, windowless granite, with no other decoration than the gold lettering above the doors reading “Spire of the Sun.” The doors were made of an opaque black material that prevented people from peeking inside. When Ben leaned closer, he thought he could see some faint gold sparkles embedded in the door. 

“This doesn’t look all that impressive,” Finn leaned in, whispering to Rey and Ben, and Hux shot all three of them a glare. 

“I wouldn’t make comments like that around here,” he said. “Besides, the outside of this club isn’t meant to draw your attention. The real display is inside.”

Hux knocked four times on the opaque doors in a very specific rhythm, and then a slot in the door opened. Hux held up his Crimson Dawn tattoo, and Ben saw a flash of green light as some device scanned the tattoo and verified it. 

There was a faint beep, and Hux sighed almost imperceptibly with relief as the doors whooshed open and they were ushered inside. 

Ben had intended to play it cool as they stepped into the nightclub, but as he walked through the doors and gazed up at the towering ceiling, he couldn’t help gaping a little, in spite of himself.

He understood now why this nightclub was called “Spire of the Sun,” and he felt silly for not anticipating what it really was. When he was a child, his mother had once shown him a geode from the planet Mikryr called a “sun spire.” On the outside, the sun spire geode looked like a lumpy, cone-shaped rock that most beings wouldn’t look twice at. Yet if you cracked the rock open, it revealed a core that was encrusted with brilliant golden gems that glowed in the darkness. It had been one of the most strange and beautiful things he had ever seen, and the architects who designed this nightclub had managed to recreate that same effect on a much larger scale. 

The outside of the building was plain on purpose, to avoid attracting the attention of random beings walking or flying by. But inside, the club was drenched in sparkling shades of yellow and gold. The black granite floors had been inlaid with sun spire gems, and the walls were made from polished gold. The lighting inside the nightclub was soft, to prevent all this gleaming gold from being too visually overwhelming. 

The ceiling was as tall as the building itself, stretching far above their heads, with a huge golden chandelier hanging from the highest point. A spiral staircase wrapped around the walls of the nightclub, leading up towards the chandelier; Ben guessed there was an observation deck you could walk out onto somewhere near the top of the building. 

“Try not to gape too much,” Hux whispered to him smugly, and Ben felt a flash of irritation that he quickly tried to push aside. He wasn’t going to let Hux get under his skin that easily.

“All right, Hux, I’ll admit it — I’m impressed,” Finn said, staring up at the vaulted ceiling and doing a slow turn so he could take everything in. “This place is actually really beautiful.”

“Beautiful and dangerous,” Rose reminded them, subtly nodding towards a couple of bouncers who were hidden in the shadows near the doors and were watching the newcomers intently.

“We should split up and start mingling,” Poe agreed. “Just do what I always do, and walk around like you own the place.” He grinned as Hux sighed heavily. “Come on Finn, let’s go buy a couple of drinks.”

Rose volunteered to pair off with Hux, since she seemed to be the one who could spend the most time around him without wanting to punch him. Chewie went along as well, telling Ben it was probably better to keep two pairs of eyes on Hux.

“Looks like we’re stuck together, then,” Rey said mischievously, taking Ben’s arm as they walked through the lobby towards the band playing at the back of the club. 

Ben tried to act casual as they wove their way through the crowd, but it was hard not to stare at every face they passed, wondering who was Hux’s Crimson Dawn contact. He didn’t sense any immediate danger through the Force, but that didn’t mean the situation couldn’t change rapidly. 

Even though Hux had promised no one would bother them as long as they kept to themselves, Ben could tell that at least one or two people potentially recognized him; they looked away as soon they realized he’d noticed _them_ watching _him_.

“Maybe I should have waited on the _Falcon_ ,” Ben whispered to Rey, but she merely elbowed him in the side. 

“Just relax! Right now you look more like a prisoner on trial than a Coruscanti crimelord out for a night on the town. Poe’s right — we have to act like we belong here. In fact, I think we should dance.”

“We should what?” Ben asked in surprise, but before he really knew what was happening, Rey had pulled him out onto a dance floor filled with other couples. Ben was instantly self-conscious, but he couldn’t really complain because he understood what Rey was trying to accomplish. The dance floor was so crowded and hectic that it was impossible to pay attention to any one person; it was much easier to blend in here. 

Suddenly thankful for those dancing lessons his mother had made him take as a kid, Ben put his arm around Rey’s waist and twirled her around and around the dance floor, resisting the temptation to get so lost in this moment that he forgot all about the mission. 

Despite the danger of their situation, he could sense Rey’s joy in the Force as she looked up at him. He wondered if she’d ever gotten to go dancing before; right now she seemed so free, and her feet practically flew across the dance floor. She was positively radiant, and he couldn’t take his eyes off her. He could tell she was still concerned about the mission, but she was also allowing herself to feel happy in this small moment. She’d lived such a hard life during the many years she’d spent alone on Jakku, and she deserved every moment of joy she could find. 

The music slowed down, and so too did all the dancers. Unconsciously, Ben and Rey took a step closer to each other, and they leaned in until their foreheads nearly touched. She stood on her tiptoes and lightly kissed him on the cheek, but that wasn’t enough for either of them. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer towards her, as his hands slid around her. He could feel the chemistry sparking between them as he leaned down to kiss her and—

“That’s enough public displays of affection!” 

Ben heard Hux’s voice squawking loudly in his ear, and he and Rey both grimaced. They were all wearing earpieces — a fact Ben _hadn’t_ forgotten about; he just hadn’t thought Hux would be spying on all of them.

“Rose, Chewie, and I are on the balcony above you, and believe me, we can see everything. I’d tell you to get a room, but you’re actually supposed to be concentrating on this very important mission — not making out with each other! I don’t care what you do after we meet my contact, but please try to behave with some decency until then.”

Ben glanced above them, and sure enough, Hux was standing on the balcony, looking down with icy disapproval. Rose was trying hard not to laugh at Hux, and Chewie gave an apologetic wave. 

“I know you heard me,” Hux continued when Rey and Ben didn’t break apart quickly enough. “If you can’t keep your hands off each other, perhaps it would be wiser for you to ‘mingle’ separately.”

Rey rolled her eyes, sending Ben a quick message through the Force: _We’ll finish this later._

Reluctantly, Ben turned away from her, his nerves returning as she disappeared from sight. Oh, she could take care of herself just fine; he wasn’t worried about that. It was just that he always felt a bit lost and awkward without her. He was sure he was back to looking like a prisoner on trial now. 

Adjusting his suit jacket, he slipped off the dance floor and tried to find a secluded corner where he could watch the party without being observed himself. One of the nightclub hosts offered him a free glass of champagne, and he took it but didn’t drink it. 

He spotted an alcove near a fountain with an empty table and chairs and figured that was as good a place as any to hide. He pulled out one of the chairs and was just about to sit down when he heard an unexpected voice behind him.

“Hey, Solo — fancy meeting you here.”


	6. Old Friends, New Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, friends - the world seems like a really scary and crazy place right now, and it’s hard to not be overwhelmed by everything going on. I hope you are safe and healthy. It’s challenging not to focus on my anxiety, but I’m planning to keep putting chapters out because writing about Star Wars helps keep my spirits up. This story is definitely going to end with a happily ever after for Reylo, and I’m hoping by the time I write the last chapter, the world will be a brighter place. May the Force be with you! ❤️

Ben whirled around, his heart hammering as soon as he heard the words “Hey, Solo.” Being recognized in this nightclub was one thing; someone recognizing him and deciding to approach him was much more serious. He could think of any number of people who might recognize him from his days in the First Order, and none of those people’s feelings about him were very positive. 

_At least they didn’t use the name “Kylo Ren,”_ he thought. That was a name he never wanted to hear again in his life. 

Yet as Ben faced the person who had addressed him, he found, to his surprise, that he didn’t recognize her at all. He wasn’t sure if that should bring him relief, or make him feel even more concerned. 

The woman was beautiful, with a sense of stylish elegance that seemed completely natural (and not at all like Ben’s forced attempt to fit in with the crowd at this fancy nightclub). She was close to the age his mother was before she passed on into the Force, and, just like Leia, her eyes still sparkled with a youthful light. She had swept her graying hair up into a high ponytail, with short bangs, and her makeup was subtle, except for her vibrant, dark red lipstick. 

“I’ve always been curious to meet you, Ben,” the woman said, and Ben frantically searched his memory for any clues that might help him identify her. She obviously knew a decent amount about him, and she seemed to think that he should know her. He felt very confused and helpless. 

After nearly a minute of awkward silence, the woman seemed to realize he simply didn’t recognize her. Her face fell just slightly, reflecting her disappointment — although her reaction was so subtle he probably wouldn’t have even noticed it if he didn’t have the Force. 

Still, she didn’t seem to hold it against him, and she appeared to understand. 

“I’m sorry, I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable for not recognizing me,” she said. Her smile returned, though now it was a little more wistful. “I knew your father very well, but it probably would have been awkward if he’d talked too much about an old flame of his.” The woman stuck out her hand to him. “I’m Qi’ra, by the way. Your father and I grew up together on Corellia.”

_Qi’ra…_ Ben wished he could tell the woman the name sounded familiar, because he could see in Qi’ra’s eyes how much his father had meant to her. But Han had always been pretty guarded about his past; it was hard for him to talk about his history before he’d met Luke and Leia and joined the Rebellion. Ben had once resented his father’s silence, but now — with a complicated past of his own — he understood how some memories could be too painful to talk about.

“You really don’t have to try to remember me,” Qi’ra assured him. “Your dad and I didn’t part on the best of terms.”

Ben felt that familiar stab of grief, as he thought about his last moments with his father. “Neither did him and I.”

Qi’ra was careful not to show too much emotion, but he thought he could see her eyes shimmering just slightly. “I know. I heard about everything that happened. But I remember the kind of man Han was, and I know he’s forgiven you. I always hoped he was able to forgive me too.”

She pushed up the sleeve of her long black dress, showing Ben a Crimson Dawn tattoo that looked exactly like Hux’s. 

Ben stared at the tattoo, his eyes widening. “Wait — you’re with Crimson Dawn? Does that mean you’re Hux’s contact?”

Qi’ra didn’t answer him directly, but her elusive smile told him that he’d guessed correctly. “I wasn’t sure who all he’d be bringing with him. As soon as I saw you, I knew you had to be the one to hear my message.”

Ben turned around, looking for Rey because he wanted her to be here for this too. However, Qi’ra caught him by the arm and turned him back around to face her. 

“I’m sorry, but it has to be just you,” she said, dropping her voice. “Too many people clustering around each other whispering is going to draw even more attention than we already are.”

Ben glanced behind his shoulder, and sure enough, he saw a male Wookiee and a humanoid woman watching them a little too intently. Although they pretended to be focusing on their drinks and their own conversation, either Ben or Qi’ra (or both) had clearly captured their interest. 

Without saying another word, Qi’ra led Ben over to an elevator at the very back of the club, and swiped her golden bracelet in front of a scanner. The elevator doors immediately slid open, and Qi’ra pulled him inside before he could even really think about what was happening. 

As they rode the elevator in continued silence, Ben found himself wondering if he was doing something incredibly stupid. He hadn’t sensed any deceit or treachery from Qi’ra, but there were plenty of people who were good at disguising their emotions in the Force. What if she wasn’t really Hux’s contact, and she was taking him somewhere secluded so she could kidnap him or even kill him?

For just a moment, his hand hovered over the lightsaber hilt he had hidden in his jacket, but he forced himself to drop his hand back to his side. He was right to be cautious, but there was no reason to provoke a reaction from Qi’ra yet. While her posture remained confident and relaxed, he could see a gleam in her eyes that let him know she was on full alert, and ready to bolt at the first sign of trouble. Ben couldn’t afford to scare her off before she’d shared the message about this project called “Shattered Glass” — whatever the hell that was. 

As the elevator dinged and the doors slid open, Ben felt a sense of relief. Qi’ra hadn’t taken him anywhere suspicious. This was simply the rooftop outlook that the spiral staircase inside the nightclub led to; Qi’ra must have exclusive access to the elevator that allowed her to bypass the stairs the other guests normally used. 

There were a few other people leaning against the railings, staring out across the city lights twinkling in the darkness, but the evening air was a little chilly and so the observation deck was more sparsely occupied than it typically would be. This was definitely a better spot to have a private conversation than the dance floor. 

“I assume Hux was keeping an eye on you, and he’ll have noticed you’ve disappeared,” Qi’ra said. “He’ll come looking for you sooner rather than later, so I’ll get right to the point.”

Qi’ra opened her black silk clutch and took out a datachip, handing it to Ben. “This is a copy of every file I have that references the project known as ‘Shattered Glass.’ Hux said he didn’t have a copy — do you remember it?”

“I, well...I don’t,” Ben confessed, once again embarrassed by his lack of knowledge. “I ignored a lot of reports, especially if they came from Hux’s department.”

Qi’ra smiled slightly, lightening the mood for a brief moment. “I can imagine.”

“So do you...uh...know what Shattered Glass is all about?” Ben asked, but Qi’ra shook her head. 

“I have no bloody idea,” she told him bluntly. “I’m sure you’re probably wondering why I went to all the trouble of bringing you a copy, then. Normally I wouldn’t have given Shattered Glass a second thought, but recently someone hacked into the Crimson Dawn files and illegally copied all the documents related to Shattered Glass. They didn’t copy anything else, or even look at a single other file — just Shattered Glass.”

The look in her eyes grew even more serious. “Breaking into the Crimson Dawn files is no easy task. It takes incredible skill — and risk — to do what this thief did. If Crimson Dawn ever identifies them, they’ll have a bounty on their head so big they won’t be able to show their face anywhere outside the Unknown Regions for the rest of their life if they want to survive.”

Ben looked down at the datachip, wondering what was so important about these files that someone would risk all that just to make a copy. 

“I read the files, of course, once I discovered what happened,” Qi’ra said. “Quite frankly, most of it reads as nonsense to me. Lots of legends and magic and archaic language that will maybe make more sense to a Force user. But the few passages that did make sense...well, they scared me. And I’m not a very easy person to scare after all I’ve seen and done in this galaxy.”

Ben shuddered. He could see that Qi’ra was telling the truth — she wasn’t an easy woman to scare, but something about this project had definitely spooked her. He knew he’d sent the Knights of Ren on some strange quests, searching for ancient Sith artifacts. Could this report be about one of those?

“Should I read the report now or wait to read it with my friends?” Ben asked. He was strangely hesitant to pull out his datapad and uncover the contents of the datachip; maybe it would be better to deal with it as a group. “I guess I am curious why you wanted Hux to bring all of us along with him on this mission. “Is sharing this message a personal favor to Hux, or were you looking for a more roundabout way to get the information to the Galactic Alliance?”

Qi’ra looked at him pointedly. “You think this is supposed to be some kind of penance for working with the First Order during the war?” she asked, and Ben found himself scrambling, realizing he’d offended her. 

“No, I...look, Qi’ra — as former supreme leader of the First Order, I have no room to judge. I just wondered if…”

“If I felt as guilty as you do?” Qi’ra’s expression turned sad. Ben had a feeling Qi’ra was letting him see more of her true feelings than she showed to most people as part of her job; “regret” was probably a dangerous weakness to reveal when you were a member of Crimson Dawn. 

“I feel guilty every day, Ben,” she said, and her voice had the same weariness his mother’s voice sometimes had when she was talking about the war with the Empire that just never seemed to end. “But I have to go on living anyway. You know, several people have asked me how I could work for the First Order, knowing everything they stood for. But as I’m sure you know, when the First Order comes to your organization, offering you work, you really have one option — especially when it’s supreme leader Snoke himself who’s doing the asking. You can do the work and get paid, or you can refuse and be killed. And I’ve always been a survivor, and I did what I had to in order to keep all my people safe. 

“I undermined the First Order in what little ways I could; I’d fought too hard to carve out my place in Crimson Dawn to let them take all control from me. I had to give them some real information, of course, but a lot of what I passed on was information I thought was fake or irrelevant — like Shattered Glass. I never considered that one might be real until someone risked their life to steal the files.”

“I’m sorry for what the First Order did to you,” Ben said softly. Qi’ra was probably a hard person to intimidate, but as far as he knew, the only person who’d had the power to tell Snoke “no” was Palpatine. 

“And I’m sorry for what it did to you,” Qi’ra replied. “But I’m glad you got free in the end. I’m glad she helped you.” She didn’t have to specify who “she” was; Ben immediately pictured Rey standing over him on the ruins of the Death Star, tears streaming down her face as she healed him. She’d saved him in more ways than one that day. 

“You know, I used to daydream about what my life would have been like if I’d run away with Han, like he wanted me to,” Qi’ra said. “But I don’t anymore, because I think we both took the paths we were meant to. 

“The day I left him and Chewie on Savareen hurt worse than anything I’d ever done, but with my ties to Crimson Dawn, there was no happily ever after for him and me. We’d have had to spend our whole lives on the run, and Crimson Dawn would have hunted us down eventually. I had to let him go if I wanted him to live. 

“I never met Leia, but she was so good for your father. I think he was good for her too. And of course, if they’d hadn’t gotten together, there would be no you, Ben Solo. You have your whole future ahead of you now, and I think the galaxy is in good hands.”

Ben didn’t know what to say; he was too overwhelmed by her words, and his memories of his family. There was so much more he wanted to ask her about his father, but he could tell by the way her posture suddenly shifted that she’d decided they’d run out of time. 

“I have to go now, but I’ve done you one more favor,” she said, passing him a thin metal card. “I’m sure you’re all in a hurry to get out of here, but I’d recommend lying low here tonight. I’ve booked you all rooms at the hotel adjoining this nightclub — that metal card is your voucher. If anyone is watching you or following you, they’ll expect you to leave the planet as soon as possible, so I’d wait to leave until morning, just to throw them off a little. Don’t read the file until you’re off-world, and make sure you’re not reading it on a device connected to the HoloNet. You don’t want any of this tracked.” 

“Thank you,” Ben said. He wondered if Hux would throw a fit about having to stay the night here (the former First Order general already seemed antsy enough). But Ben was pretty sure it was wise to follow the advice of the leader of Crimson Dawn. Qi’ra hadn’t specified she was in charge of the organization now, but he knew power when he saw it. She didn’t need to flaunt her title or status the way Palpatine or Snoke had; you simply recognized how dangerous it was to cross her. 

“I’m glad to have met you, Ben Solo,” she said. “We probably shouldn’t be seen leaving together, and I’m afraid that means you’ll have to take the stairs. But I’d recommend you enjoy the rest of your night in the Spire of the Sun. Be cautious, of course, but one thing I’ve learned is that even in dangerous times you have to find a way to live a little.”

She winked. “By the way, I reserved the nicest of the hotel suites for you — I think you and that beautiful woman you were dancing with will both be impressed. I’m sure you can think of something fun to do up there.”

Ben’s face went flaming red, and he didn’t get a chance to say anything else to Qi’ra as she slipped back into the night, leaving him with nothing but the datachip and a sense of foreboding. 


	7. A Plan of Action

Rose didn’t need the Force to sense that Hux was unhappy. 

She had the feeling he was often unhappy, just as a general state of being, but she could tell that he was _really unhappy_ right now. 

“If Rey and Ben could just keep their hands off each other and focus on the mission...I really don’t think that’s too much to ask,” Hux muttered to himself. 

Chewie looked over at Rose and made the Wookiee equivalent of a heavy sigh. Rose thought it was absolutely adorable how hopelessly in love Rey and Ben were, but she wisely kept that thought to herself. She didn’t want Hux to descend into an even fouler mood than he already was. (She did notice, interestingly, that this time he had actually referred to Ben as “Ben,” instead of “Kylo Ren.”)

Hux had suggested this balcony might be a good spot to observe what was happening in the nightclub, and he was right. Rose could see pretty much everything going on throughout the club, including Rey and Ben’s interrupted kiss and Poe and Finn laughing as they sipped brightly-colored cocktails at the bar. Unfortunately, there was no sign of Hux’s contact yet, and the former First Order general was getting restless (though he was trying his best not to show it). 

“If it makes you feel any better, Rey and Ben aren’t trying to provoke you specifically,” Rose said, attempting to diffuse the tension. “They’re always that mushy. I guess it makes sense, though; when you lose each other and then bring each other back from the dead, that whole experience is going to forge a pretty intimate bond.”

“It must be nice to be that ridiculously happy and in love,” Hux replied, leaning against the railing of the balcony. Although his voice was dripping with bitter sarcasm, Rose was shocked to find the slightest hint of longing in his eyes. Hux acted so superior and aloof all the time that she hadn’t really pictured him ever being in love — or at least _wanting_ to be in love.

Rose knew she was probably being too blunt, but there was something about standing here in this fancy nightclub in a sparkling red dress that emboldened her. And so she actually asked Hux, “Have you ever been in love?”

Hux nearly choked on his surprise, coughing several times. Apparently no one had ever dared to ask him that question before. Rose half expected him to turn and march away, too offended to reply, but instead he looked her right in the eyes and said, “No. I have not.”

Rose should have stopped there, but the look in his eyes actually seemed to be inviting her to ask more. Chewie had wandered off to sample the complimentary buffet on the balcony, otherwise he likely would have been giving the two of them a very strange look. 

“Have you ever wanted to be in love?” she modified her question, and though Hux didn’t break her gaze, she could see him gripping the railing more tightly. 

“Maybe,” he said, and that was perhaps the most honest, vulnerable bit of information he’d ever shared with another person. “What is it like to have a friend, or to have a parent who cared about you — I’ve wondered those things too.” His voice simmered with long-festering resentment. “Believe me, I’ve been told I’m ‘unlovable’ plenty of times.”

Hux had done terrible, horrible things in the name of the First Order, and because of him, many of Rose’s friends had suffered. But as Hux revealed this very raw, and very private, pain to her, she actually found her eyes watering with emotion. Yes, in this moment, she actually did feel pity for General Armitage Hux. 

She’d heard the rumors about Hux’s father, Brendol, and how he’d treated his young son. Of course if you grew up being told you were a bastard and a disappointment, it would affect how you saw yourself and the galaxy. She wondered if Hux’s haughty demeanor was mainly used as a shield to prevent people from getting too close to him and hurting him — the same way “Kylo Ren” had used his mask and his explosive anger.

“I’m sorry,” Rose said, and without even thinking about what she was doing, she rested her hand on top of Hux’s. He flinched slightly at her touch, but didn’t pull away. 

“I have been in love,” Rose said quietly. “With someone who ultimately didn’t return my feelings. It hurt, but it also taught me that my self-worth shouldn’t be defined by whether or not someone thinks of me romantically. I think to truly be in love with another person, you have to fall in love with yourself first. That’s what I’m focusing on now.”

Hux simply stared at her, Rose having rendered him speechless. Frankly, she was more than a little surprised herself by the direction this conversation had taken. She suddenly realized that Ben had completely disappeared from sight, and Hux hadn’t even noticed. Rose felt like she should probably tell Hux and Chewie, but for once Hux actually didn’t look angry, and she didn’t want to spoil that. Even though their current conversation had nothing to do with the mission, it was still important. 

“I don’t think many people would accuse me of having a poor sense of self-worth,” Hux said, and Rose could see why people might think that. Hux’s attitude gave the impression that he didn’t need anyone else and that he personally felt he was smarter than everyone in the room. But now Rose could see his insecurities bleeding through the cracks of his smug facade; deep inside, he wasn’t as confident as he pretended to be.

“We’re not always the person others think we are,” Rose said. “You might have been a First Order general, Armitage Hux, but I think you’re haunted by guilt, just like Kylo Ren was. You don’t like the man you’ve become, and you know you’ve made mistakes. But, Ben had the power to change and you do too. You don’t have to play the villain in this story.”

The emotion in Hux’s eyes was too complex to identify, and Rose honestly had no idea how he felt about what she’d just said. Although he started to say something in reply, she’d be doomed to forever wonder what that he might have told her, because just then, through her earpiece, she heard Ben’s voice: “Everyone, come meet me up on the rooftop outlook — now.”

Hux’s stiff facade snapped right back into place, and his expression turned to one of irritation. “Look, this is my mission, and I’m supposed to be waiting for my contact. I don’t want to jeopardize—”

“I met your contact,” Ben interrupted. “And I’ve got the message. We all need to talk.” 

***

Rey was the first member of their group to make it up to the observation deck on top of the nightclub, scaling the steps of the spiral staircase two at a time. She was sure people were staring at her as she hitched up her dress and practically ran up the stairs, but she didn’t care. 

Right now, she just wanted to make sure Ben was okay; she hadn’t sensed through the Force that he was in trouble, but with the Force being out of balance right now, she just needed to see Ben to be sure. 

She was livid that Hux had made them split up; if that man’s Crimson Dawn contact had done anything to threaten Ben, well, Hux had better prepare himself to answer to a very angry Rey.

Rey burst through the doors at the top of the spiral stairs, and her heart lifted as she saw Ben standing alone by the railing, looking a little rattled but otherwise unharmed. Finn and Poe weren’t far behind her, and soon Chewie, Rose, and Hux joined them. She could see Hux glaring at Ben, so Rey made sure to send a sharp glare of her own in Hux’s direction. 

“Where’s my contact?” were the first words out of Hux’s mouth.

“She’s already gone,” Ben replied, and Hux appeared to be both shocked and offended. Ben was either oblivious to, or just chose to ignore, Hux’s reaction, and he opened his hand, revealing a datachip. “The contact said someone hacked into Crimson Dawn’s files and copied everything related to ‘Shattered Glass.’ She told us we need to read this report, but not here. She also said we shouldn’t try to leave right now, in case we’re being watched. She booked us all rooms at the hotel, and recommended we sneak out first thing in the morning.”

“Wait just one minute,” Hux said, holding up a hand. “Why did the contact share all this with you? She was supposed to come to me!”

“She was a...well...she knew my dad once, and it’s a long and complicated story,” Ben said. “It doesn’t matter.”

Rey could tell that Hux clearly thought it _did_ matter, but she didn’t have the patience for his jealousy right now. As it turned out, neither did Poe. 

“Well, good work, Ben,” Poe said. “I’m glad we’ve got the file, but I’m skeptical about waiting to read it. Shouldn’t we just head back to the Falcon and get the hell out of here? Are you sure Hux’s contact isn’t trying to double-cross us?”

Ben shook his head. “She won’t double-cross us. I can promise you that. She seemed pretty shaken by the whole situation, and I think we should do what she says.”

Rey didn’t want to dismiss Ben’s advice, but as she stared at the datachip in his hand, she found herself siding with Poe. If this information had Crimson Dawn so worried, shouldn’t they find out what was going on as soon as possible? Rey wasn’t sure she trusted the contact either, or anything about the Spire of the Sun nightclub. 

“I think we should go,” Rey said, right as Chewie said, _I think we should stay._

“How about a compromise?” Finn suggested. “We leave right now, but we wait to read the files until we get to Ahch-To. That place is far enough off the grid it should be safe.”

Although Hux remained annoyed about the contact bypassing him and approaching Ben instead, he still sided with his former rival. 

“As much as it pains me to say this...Ben is right. We should do what the contact says. If Crimson Dawn says leave in the morning, then we should leave in the morning. I advise we all go back to the club, mingle for a while so our departure doesn’t look too abrupt, and then quietly check into our rooms. We can meet in the lobby at sunrise and head straight to the _Falcon_.”

“All right, but if this mission goes sideways, I want everyone to remember that I voted to leave,” Poe said. “See you in the morning, I guess — I’m going to go have another drink before Crimson Dawn shows up to kidnap us or rob us or worse.”

***

Ben knew that Rey still didn’t agree with him about waiting to read the message, and the elevator ride up to their hotel suite was a little...tense. 

If it was up to her and Poe, they’d all be sitting on the _Falcon_ right now, reading the “Shattered Glass” files on their way home to Ahch-To. Normally he would have supported that, but he really did trust Qi’ra. They’d all have to be patient, even if they didn’t like it. 

He knew he should probably leave Rey alone with her thoughts right now, but when the elevator dinged and the doors slid open at the top floor of the hotel and she still hadn’t said anything, he decided he couldn’t take the silence anymore. 

“So...do you want to talk about it, or just drop it?” Ben asked tentatively, and Rey’s gaze shot towards him. 

“I know what the Crimson Dawn contact said, but I really think we should be reading those files,” Rey said. “This is what we came all the way here for...not a vacation at some swanky Coruscant nightclub.”

“You’re right, this isn’t a vacation,” Ben said, glancing around at the lavishly decorated hallway. “But we’re stuck here for the night, so we might as well enjoy it.” He felt a little pang, because under different circumstances, he would have loved to treat Rey to an extended getaway in a place like this. Qi’ra hadn’t been exaggerating when she promised she’d gotten them a really great room; from what Ben could tell, the suite she’d reserved for Rey and him was the only suite on this entire floor. The onyx door beckoned to them at the end of a long hallway that was lit by flickering candles (and he could tell they were real, flickering candles, not just a visual effect). The Spire of the Sun definitely didn’t care about appearing too extravagant. 

“Well, Hux works for Crimson Dawn and has to do what they say, but that doesn’t apply to us,” Rey countered. “I feel like the Force is pressing me to hurry, and I really wished you’d backed me up.”

Ben felt his temper rising just slightly, even as he appreciated how breathtakingly gorgeous Rey was when she got fired up. “Well, maybe the Force is pressing me to wait,” he said. 

“Oh, you’re always the perfect example of patience,” Rey said sarcastically, and as soon as the words were out of her mouth, he could tell she regretted them. Her shoulders sagged, and she visibly deflated. “Oh Ben, I’m so sorry — I shouldn’t have said that. I’m not actually upset with you; I’m just frustrated at this whole bloody situation.” Her eyes brimmed with angry tears, and Ben felt his heart shatter. Rey was so strong, and to see her break always broke him too. 

“Not knowing what’s in those files is driving me crazy too,” he said softly, folding her into his arms. “But my gut is telling me to trust Hux’s contact. It’s already past midnight, so we actually don’t have that long to wait until sunrise, and then we can get back to Ahch-To and face whatever ‘Shattered Glass’ is together. Let’s at least try to get some sleep.”

A sly grin spread across Rey’s face. She wasn’t instantly forgetting her troubles; Ben could still see them haunting her, a sense of unease lingering in her eyes. But she was desperate for some distraction, and frankly, he was too. 

“You were actually planning on sleeping?” she asked. “What happened to ‘we’re stuck here for the night, so we might as well enjoy it’?” 

She reached up and started loosening his tie with a deliberate slowness that sent heat shooting up his neck and coloring his cheeks. Blast, she was making him blush again. He knew exactly where this was heading.

“So does that mean now _you’re_ trying to seduce _me_?” he asked, as she backed him towards the door to their suite. 

Her grin turned wicked. “I don’t know...is it working?”

He barely had time to breathe the word “Yes” before she was kissing him, pushing him back so forcefully that he bumped against the door. He didn’t care. He slid one hand up her back as he used the other to fumble around in his pocket for the keycard to their hotel room. He finally found it, and frantically managed to scan it without breaking his contact with Rey. 

The hotel room was just as exquisite as the nightclub itself, with a chandelier hanging from the vaulted ceiling, a giant bed covered with gold silk sheets and far too many plush pillows, and carpet so thick and soft that you practically sank into it as you stepped on it. 

But Ben and Rey noticed none of that. All their stresses, fear, and uncertainty melted away as they completely lost themselves in each other. And for one night, the galaxy felt right again. 


	8. Hidden History

“Ben! Ben, wake up!”

“Hmmm...what?” Ben was too groggy to open his eyes, so he buried his face deeper in the pillow. “I’m trying to sleep.” Or at least that was what he meant to say — his voice came out as more of a garbled mumble, and he wasn’t sure if even Rey, who knew him better than anyone, could interpret what he said. 

“It’s almost sunrise!” Rey hissed, hitting him playfully but also somewhat passive aggressively with a pillow. “Hux is pounding on our door and is probably going to call security if we don’t come out soon.”

“Hux?” Ben asked, his bleary, sleep-addled brain still confused. Then suddenly, it all came back to him — the Spire of the Sun, Shattered Glass, Qi’ra, and the fact they’d spent the night at a fancy hotel instead of their house back on Ahch-To. 

Ben desperately wanted to keep sleeping — he was not a morning person, unlike Rey. However, he did remember agreeing to leave at dawn, and he also knew Rey wasn’t kidding — Hux probably would bust through that door if they kept him waiting a second longer. 

Cursing as he struggled to extricate himself from the mound of blankets, Ben grabbed his clothes and got dressed as quickly as he could. Rey must not have woken up long before him, because she was still getting dressed as well. She had makeup smeared across the side of her face from the night before, and if Ben had been in a better, more alert mood, he would have found it adorable. 

He couldn’t find his tie anywhere and eventually gave up, having just a few seconds to run a hand through his messy hair before Rey opened the door and a red-faced Hux poked his head in, glaring. 

“Let’s go!” he whispered, waving at them to follow him to the elevator. Ben wasn’t sure why Hux was whispering — this was the only suite on the floor, so it wasn’t like anyone was eavesdropping. But he didn’t have enough energy to point that out, and even if he did, it probably would have led to a pointless argument. 

Rose, Chewie, Finn, and Poe were already down in the lobby waiting for them. Pretty much everyone looked a little worse for wear, except for Poe, who somehow managed to appear perfectly put together with flawless hair and a fresh change of clothes. 

“Wow, you two look absolutely terrible,” Poe remarked as soon as Rey and Ben stepped off the elevator. “I mean, really terrible.”

“Thanks — I know,” Ben said dryly. He wished he would have thought to bring a change of clothes too, but it was too late for that now. This wrinkled suit would have to suffice until he got back to the _Falcon_. 

“So did you two get any sleep last night?” Poe asked with a teasing grin. “‘Cuz it sure seems like you—”

“We need to stop wasting time!” Hux exclaimed, practically shoving them all out the door. “I’ve already gone ahead and checked us all out of our rooms; the charges were covered in full by Crimson Dawn, so there’s nothing left to settle. Move, move, move!”

There was some grumbling/complaining in response to Hux’s brusque manner, but everyone did what he said, and soon they were back at the _Falcon_ , readying the ship for takeoff. Hux agreed to accompany them back to Ahch-To so they could all read the message together (they’d pick up his ship from Qwan’dar later). 

Ben wasn’t sure how he felt about inviting Hux to the island on Ahch-To, which had come to feel like a private sanctuary/safe place for him, but Hux hadn’t done anything terrible to them yet (besides being in a generally bad mood, which was something they were _all_ guilty of this morning). 

Ben felt some of the tightness in his chest ease just a little as the _Falcon_ emerged from hyperspace and he saw the vibrant green island rising above the Ahch-To ocean. _Home._ He didn’t leave this place often, and it always felt good to come back to it. This was one of the few places in his life where he’d felt like he truly belonged. 

Once the _Falcon_ touched down, they made their way to the Jedi academy dining hall, which was dark and silent since all the students and R2/3PO were gone. BB-8 beeped sadly when he realized his droid friends weren’t there.

“All right, let’s get this over with,” Poe said, whipping out his datapad. “Ben, hand me that datachip.”

“I think I should be the one to read it,” Hux countered. “After all, I AM a member of Crimson Dawn, and I know my datapad is secure.”

“You know, I spent years running missions with the Resistance — I do know a thing or two about security,” Poe shot back. “What do you think, I’m just gonna hook up my device to the HoloNet and upload all this classified information for everybody in the damn galaxy to see?”

“Actually, I think Rey or Finn should be the one to read it first,” Ben said. “The contact told me the report would probably make more sense to a Force user. I mean, I guess I could try reading it, but…”

His voice trailed off, and Rey squeezed his hand, immediately understanding. While Ben felt no temptation to ever become Kylo Ren again, he still found it difficult to interact with any object or literature that had some kind of tie to the dark side. He had spent the entire flight from Coruscant to Ahch-To with that datachip in his pocket, and while it might be just his own paranoia, he sensed a lingering dark side essence clinging to it. 

“I’m the one who originally curated these files,” Hux kept insisting, and finally Rose stepped into the argument with a heavy sigh, playing peacemaker. 

“How about you and Rey read it at the same time, on _your_ device?” she told Hux, and that was that. 

Ben passed the datachip to Rey, and she inserted it into the datapad as she and Hux hunched together over the device and began to read. 

***

**_Meanwhile, deep within the Unknown Regions…_ **

Passion. 

Strength. 

Anger. 

Power. 

Za’ra did not much care for the Sith code — or codes of any kind that tried to tell her what she could or could not do. 

Yet ironically, the ancient Sith code had still become a key mantra for her, sustaining her through the many difficult twists and turns her life had taken her in her 27 years. 

_Peace is a lie. There is only Passion._   
_Through Passion I gain Strength._   
_Through Strength I gain Power._   
_Through Power I gain Victory._   
_Through Victory my chains are Broken._   
_The Force shall free me._

Za’ra could not access the Force herself, but that did not mean she doubted or underestimated it. In order to shift the balance of power in the galaxy, you had to either be a Force user, or have a Force user on your side. No matter how much she resented that fact, she was not stupid enough to deny it. 

“To get power, you must have the Force” had been an unwritten law since the dawn of the galaxy. Palpatine had proved that, though it hadn’t been enough to save him in the end. Za’ra was glad he was gone, and that he had taken the Sith legacy with him. If only he’d managed to also snuff out the Jedi legacy before his death. 

Za’ra paused in front of the entrance to the cave, the dark maw beckoning to her to come inside and learn its secrets. Maybe this was all a lie — maybe nothing was waiting for her inside this cave but death and/or disappointment. She’d risked a lot to come here, to this age-old nexus of dark side power on a planet so deep within the Unknown Regions its name had been forgotten (if it ever had a name in the first place). 

Za’ra took a deep breath and lit up her glowrod, pushing away any remaining impulses of fear or doubt. Now was not the time for weakness. Za’ra needed power — had always, desperately needed power — but as someone without the Force, the secrets promised by this cave might be the only way for her to finally make a name for herself in this galaxy, and to define her own destiny.

Za’ra didn’t know much about her lineage, and had never thought it mattered. Her mother was supposedly a Nightsister of Dathomir, but she had inherited none of the witches’ power. Her father was a Chiss, who had once allegedly served under the great Imperial officer, Grand Admiral Thrawn. Her parents had never loved her, or each other for that matter, and she’d decided long ago that her family tree was an irrelevant chapter in her life story. What she did now was going to matter much, much more. 

The cave was a dark void, carved from volcanic rock millennia ago on this planet where it was always night. The inside of the cave was damp and had a vaguely sulfuric smell, and some kind of black moss covered the floor, squishing with every step she took. A naturalist might have found it fascinating to study the strange flora and fauna here, but Za’ra didn’t have time for that. 

Za’ra was far more interested in the historical significance of this cave than what organisms might be growing here, drawing on this place’s dark power. As a child, she’d wanted to be an archaeologist — back when her dreams were still full of hope and promise. She was still interested in archaeology, as a hobby in what little free time she had, but life had pushed her into different circumstances. 

She might not have been gifted with the Force, but she had a keen mind — at least, that’s what the recruiter for New Republic secret intelligence had told her when she’d joined up. She’d worked for the New Republic only a little while before becoming disillusioned, and then the First Order had made her a better offer — one that promised enough money for her to truly build a better life for her sister. 

That was Za’ra’s most closely-guarded secret: she had a twin sister, who was the only person in the galaxy Za’ra truly cared about. Za’ra had been born strong (she’d come out literally kicking and screaming), but her sister Willa was far more fragile, plagued by numerous health issues that forced her to stay shut inside her home every day. 

Za’ra hated the fact Willa spent so much time suffering, and she often wished she could take that burden from her sister, and be the one who suffered instead. She didn’t tell the New Republic or the First Order that she had a sister, because she didn’t want anyone to ever use Willa as a bargaining chip to try to manipulate her, hurting Willa in the process. 

Then came the day Willa nearly died. 

Despite all the precautions Za’ra took, disinfecting herself every time she entered Willa’s secluded home, she’d managed to pick up some pathogen that made Willa gravely ill. 

Willa had to be put in a medically-induced coma for three months, and when she finally woke up, her health was so fragile that she had to be kept in quarantine indefinitely. Until a cure was found for this rare disease, Za’ra could only see her sister through a thick pane of glass that kept her separated from everyone and everything else. 

It made Za’ra furious — she was angry at the galaxy for cursing her sister like this, and she was angry at herself for nearly killing her sister by exposing her to this disease. She needed to find a cure for the sickness, which the Chiss doctor who cared for Willa called “the wasting disease” (it was so rare it didn’t have a formal name). But in order to find a cure, Za’ra needed money and power — a quest that had ultimately led her to this cave today. 

Za’ra had risen as far as middle management before the First Order fell. She’d hoped to work her way up through the ranks — if she could just get General Hux or Supreme Leader Snoke (or later, Kylo Ren) to notice her, then maybe she’d have enough power and influence to actually get something accomplished in this galaxy. 

But Hux had gone mad with his own lust for power (or so the rumors went), and Kylo Ren was always distracted — whether it was by his pull to his family and the light side of the Force, or that scavenger he claimed he didn’t have a personal interest in. 

And then it had all collapsed. The First Order had burned, as all the failed empires before it had burned, and Hux and Kylo Ren were presumed dead. Now the Galactic Alliance had arisen to fill that vacuum of power, promising to bring peace and justice to the galaxy again. 

Za’ra was sure that was nothing but an empty promise, and she was tired of governments that vowed to make things better but never did anything for her or her sister. It was time for change, and she wasn’t the only one who thought so. 

In the days after the fall of the First Order, she’d pieced together a network of people who had the same anger and hunger for true change that she did: disgruntled ex-Imperials, First Order officers whose talents had been foolishly squandered, people who lived on planets that had been unjustly looked on as “backwaters” for far too long, and many others. The powers that be might see all of them as “little people” unworthy of notice, but if you collected enough tiny raindrops, you could create a rainstorm that resulted in a destructive flood. 

Za’ra had found plenty of people who agreed the Galactic Alliance was no better than the Republic or the Empire or the First Order, but they were also smart enough to know that trying to overthrow the Galactic Alliance would be futile (as the First Order’s embarrassing fall had demonstrated all too well). They needed something else — some way to un-write that pesky law of the universe: “To get power, you must have the Force.”

During her time in the First Order, Za’ra had read a lot of reports about ancient powers and artifacts from the early days of the galaxy. Kylo Ren had ignored many of them, and even Hux hadn’t had time to read everything. 

But Za’ra had. Some nights she wouldn’t eat or sleep — she’d just read those blasted files, looking for something, anything of interest. It eventually became hard to keep all that information straight, but she’d never forgotten one file in particular: “Shattered Glass.” It had been uncovered by Crimson Dawn late in the war and was never formally processed.

She’d remembered “Shattered Glass” even after the First Order fell apart, and she spent the next year honing her hacking skills so that she could break into the Crimson Dawn files and pull out that report without compromising her identity. Shattered Glass was the roadmap that had now led her here.

Za’ra finally saw a faint glow up ahead, and the air in the cave gradually grew warmer. Good — that meant she was coming closer to the lake of lava at the heart of the cave, where she’d find the ancient altar described in the Shattered Glass files. So far, events had been proceeding exactly as planned, a rare bit of good luck for her, for a change. 

Jaded as she was, Za’ra was difficult to impress, and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been in awe of anything; maybe not since childhood. But as soon as she rounded a corner and saw the lake of lava in the giant sanctuary carved into the heart of the cave, she felt a thrill of wonder and terror. 

Reddish-orange lava bubbled in a lake that was at least the size of a Star Destroyer. The ceiling of the sanctuary rose high above her head, covered with strange drawings and words in a language she didn’t understand. She realized she was probably the first being in millennia who had set foot in this space, and despite the heat generated by the lava lake, her skin prickled with a sudden chill. 

That curious part of her that still loved archaeology desperately wanted to linger here, studying these drawings and words and trying to extract meaning from them. But she had to keep going, towards the altar that beckoned to her on the other side of the lake and the locked box she desperately hoped was still there. 

However, before she could take a step, she was hit by a cold blast of wind, and a voice inside her head spoke, _“Who goes there?”_

Za’ra gritted her teeth and forced herself to stand her ground, despite the fact her instincts were screaming at her to run. Although she hadn’t expected to encounter some kind of sentient dark side presence here, she probably should have prepared herself for that. Of course _something_ would be guarding this place.

“My name is Za’ra, and I’m here for the artifact.” She saw no point in lying; if this creature could speak inside her head, it could probably read her thoughts as well. Trying to deceive it would just make it angry. 

_“So you are.”_ The voice seemed pleased by her boldness. _“What makes you think you’re worthy of it?”_

“I’m not.” Za’ra was hoping her bluntness and honesty would continue to work in her favor. “Or at least, I’m pretty sure you would not see me as worthy. I’m not Force sensitive, and I’ll never command the kind of power I’m assuming you do. But I’m tired of feeling powerless, and I want to level the playing field in the galaxy. Is it true the artifact in that box on the altar can actually help me cancel a Jedi’s powers?”

The disembodied voice actually chuckled, an unnatural sound that made Za’ra’s skin crawl again. _“You ARE a bold one. You may not have the Force, Za’ra, but you were clever enough to find this place that has been forgotten by both the Jedi and the Sith. Maybe I will give you what you seek.”_

Za’ra felt her heart rate begin to pick up in excitement, as she could see her dreams actually starting to materialize in front of her. _Could it really be this easy? Will this spirit really just let me walk out with the box?_

_No — stop getting your hopes up too fast._ She chastised herself for allowing her emotions to run wild. She had to continue being cautious; there had to be a trap here somewhere. 

“Who are you?” Za’ra dared to ask the voice, hoping its conciliatory mood would continue. “The files I read about Shattered Glass didn’t mention you being here.”

_“I am The Guardian of this place,”_ the voice replied. _“Once I was a powerful Sith named Dakare, but now I am but an echo of a spirit. There is not much left of me here, but if I wanted, I could use my last breath of power to strike you down.”_

“Dakare” — that was a name Za’ra did recognize, and now it made sense that his presence would linger in the sanctuary cave. The Shattered Glass files had begun with the tragedy of Dakare, a Sith, and Andromedia, a Jedi. These sworn enemies had been sent to kill each other but had ended up falling in love instead once they found they were what was known as a “dyad in the Force” (a rare phenomenon the files hadn’t bothered to explain and Za’ra still didn’t know much about).

Dakare and Andromedia’s forbidden relationship threatened both the Sith and the Jedi, and soon they were hunted by both their respective factions. Using the strength of their dyad connection and dark blood magic that predated even the Sith, they forged a powerful artifact: the Mirror of Balance, which caused any Force user — light side or dark side — who came near it to lose their powers to manipulate the Force. 

They kept the mirror in this very cave, and they used it to easily defeat anyone who found them. But then one night, Dakare and Andromedia quarreled, and in their anger the mirror shattered. All the pieces were lost in the lake of lava, except for one shard hidden in the shadows. 

Dakare was killed by a band of Sith when he left the cave and tried to return to his homeworld, and Andromedia wept when she felt his absence in the Force. She discovered that one shard left from the mirror and realized it still had the power to dampen the Force. She didn’t want either the Jedi or the Sith to have it, but she couldn’t bear to destroy it since it was the last reminder of the love shared by her and Dakare. 

So she put it in a locked box and left it in the cave, spending the rest of her life trying to erase all mentions of the cave and the mirror from history. She had almost succeeded; it had been thousands of years before Za’ra happened to uncover the one file that referenced this place’s existence. 

“I’m sorry for what happened to you,” Za’ra told Dakare. She didn’t actually know how much of a victim he was in this situation, but she figured it was wise not to offend him. “But I promise, if you let me take the shard, I won’t use it frivolously.”

_“How will you use it, then?”_ Dakare pressed her. Za’ra was certain he already knew the answer to that question, but he wanted to see how she presented her case. 

“While the Galactic Alliance is promising to make things better, I don’t believe it will be enough,” she said. “My allies and I want to set up our own order, but if we try to make a move, the Galactic Alliance will just call on that former scavenger and her Jedi academy to step in and use the Force to ‘save the day.’ I need the shard to make sure she’ll be powerless to stop us.”

_“Rey of Jakku…”_ Dakare said thoughtfully. In some ways, Za’ra was grateful Dakare seemed to be aware of current galactic events, even in his spirit form, but it was also more than a little unnerving. _“You are right to fear her. But even if I give you the box, you must know that it will do you no good. Andromedia constructed it so that it could only be opened by a dyad in the Force, and that is an incredibly rare and precious thing. There has not been a dyad in the Force in many generations.”_

Za’ra cursed, and though she desperately tried to conceal her reaction, she felt hot tears springing in her eyes. _Could only be opened by a dyad in Force…_ Where the hell was she supposed to find one of those? She really had come all this way for nothing. 

Although she turned around and prepared to leave — so she could get someplace private before she completely fell apart — Dakare stopped her with a deep, rumbling, _“Wait.”_

Za’ra did as commanded, perfectly understanding the threat behind the order. 

_“There is a dyad in the Force alive right now,”_ Dakare’s spirit said. _“Telling you this is my gift to you, because I want to see you punish the galaxy that betrayed me and the woman I loved. The dyad is Rey of Jakku and Kylo Ren.”_

Though she’d felt an initial burst of hopefulness, Za’ra felt her frustration rising again. “But Kylo Ren died in the war with the Resistance — that’s what everybody says. Unless I can use half a dyad to open the box, this information is useless.”

_“Foolish child,”_ Dakare hissed, and Za’ra felt his dark power wrapping around her, freezing her skin and tightening her airways. _“Kylo Ren is dead, but the man beneath the mask, Ben Solo, is not. The scavenger saved him and brought him back from the land of the dead. If you want the Force-canceling shard from the Mirror of Balance, you must travel to Ahch-To and compel them to open the box for you.”_

Dakare abruptly released his hold on her throat, and Za’ra collapsed on her knees, gasping for breath. Her mind was reeling, and she found she couldn’t even be angry at the fact Dakare had nearly choked her. 

Kylo Ren was alive, and Rey, supposedly his sworn enemy, had saved him? And they were living at the site of the first Jedi Temple? Did that mean Rey had fallen to the darkness, or had Kylo risen to the light?

It didn’t matter, she finally decided, as long as they could provide the key to what she needed. She doubted they would open the box willingly, but she’d find some way to make them. She had to — for Willa, and for everyone else counting on her to see this through.

“I accept the challenge, and I promise, I won’t disappoint you,” she told Dakare.

_“You had best pray that you do not…”_

Za’ra felt the ground start to tremble beneath her, and she took off running towards the altar, grabbing the box with trembling hands. Chunks of rock began falling from the ceiling as the earthquake grew stronger, and the lake of lava began to hiss and sizzle. She wondered if Dakare was using the last of his power to destroy this sanctuary now that the reason for its existence was gone. 

Za’ra clutched the box to her chest and ran as fast as she could, as the walls and ceiling of the cave collapsed behind her. She didn’t stop running until she reached her ship parked outside the cave, and she didn’t allow herself a second of rest until after she’d jumped to hyperspace. 

Even then, she felt like Dakare’s whispers kept echoing in her mind, warning her not to fail him. She glanced over at the empty co-pilot’s seat, where she hoped her sister would one day sit but for now contained the box she had taken from the sanctuary, containing the artifact that would hopefully make all her dreams possible. 

“I’m going to do this, Willa,” Za’ra whispered, punching in the coordinates to Ahch-To. Whatever it took, she would make this happen. It was time to bury both the Jedi and the Sith deep in the past — so deep they could never rise again.


	9. Breaking Point

Rey wasn’t sure exactly what she’d expected the “Shattered Glass” report to be about, but she certainly hadn’t guessed it would begin with a love story. 

She read the files out loud as Hux leaned over her shoulder, making sure she wasn’t leaving anything out. 

Rey had never learned about a Sith named Dakare or a Jedi named Andromedia in any of the ancient texts she’d read as part of her Jedi studies, and she’d definitely never heard of the Mirror of Balance and its alleged power to block someone from sensing the Force. 

She wanted to believe this was just a legend, some scary story that maybe Palpatine had invented to intimidate the Jedi. Yet Palpatine had never given her a glimpse of the “Mirror of Balance” in the visions he’d shown her, and he hadn’t mentioned Dakare and Andromedia’s dyad bond. That either meant the mirror had never existed, or this information was buried so deep in the past it had been all but forgotten...until now. 

“Ben, have you ever heard anything about this?” Rose asked after Rey had finished reading, but Ben simply shook his head. It was clear to Rey that he was just as confused — and troubled — by all of this as she was. 

Rey couldn’t help but draw a comparison between herself and Ben, and Andromedia and Dakare. She was sure it was just a coincidence, but the similarity was...eerie. At least she and Ben’s love story had come to a much happier ending. Palpatine had tried to use their dyad bond to forge something evil, but their love for each other had overcome him. 

“You know, normally I’d be a little skeptical about all of this,” Poe said in a tone that was surprisingly subdued for him. “But I’ve seen some crazy stuff the last couple of years — dark side cloning, people transporting stuff through the Force, Palpatine coming back to life and shooting lightning up into the sky. I’m not gonna be the one to dismiss this story just because it seems far-fetched.”

“But how could someone actually control the Force — isn’t it beyond all of us?” Finn asked, and Ben frowned in thought. 

“Reading between the lines of the text, I don’t think the shard actually controls or stops the Force — just a person’s ability to access it,” he said. 

“Oh, well that’s much less scary,” Poe said sarcastically. “It’s really no big deal that some mysterious enemy could now potentially sideline all the Jedi, who just happen to be the most powerful warriors at the Galactic Alliance’s disposal.”

Rey felt herself bristle slightly. “Being a Jedi is not just about being a warrior or fighting. And we’re not simply ‘at the Galactic Alliance’s disposal.’ Luke was actually really clear that was one of the old Jedi Order’s biggest mistakes — becoming too deeply ingrained in the bureaucracy of the Old Republic.”

Rey could tell that Poe already had a comeback ready, but Finn silently placed a hand on his shoulder, warning him that now was not the time for friends to be arguing.

“Well, for once I must agree with General Dameron,” Hux said, and Poe immediately smirked (Finn had to tighten his grip on Poe’s shoulder, yet again, to stop him from saying something he might regret later). “We need to heed the warning from Crimson Dawn and treat this report, as implausible as it sounds, as fact. While I personally would have loved to use this shard myself during the war to teach Kylo Ren and Snoke some humility, I’m not keen on the idea of someone using this artifact to start another conflict now. I think we’ve all seen enough war for one lifetime.”

Rey was a little surprised to hear Hux say that. She’d assumed he was still bitter about how the war ended, and if given an opportunity, he’d root for the First Order to rise again. But maybe even he was finally weary of the pointless cycle of death and violence. 

“We have to assume that whoever stole these files from Crimson Dawn is going to go out looking for the shard,” Rose said. “Obviously, it would be great if we could find it first and destroy it. But there aren’t a lot of clues about where this sanctuary actually is.”

“And that may actually work in our favor,” Hux added. “It’s going to be difficult for us to find the shard, but it will also be difficult for whoever stole the files. It’s possible they might not be able to locate it at all.”

_Unless they have more information than we do,_ Rey thought. What if this mysterious person already had the shard, and they were just plotting how to use it? Did they know about Ahch-To? What if they were on their way to the Jedi academy right now to—

Rey shut her eyes and forced herself to breathe deeply, as she often did when feeling overwhelmed. She couldn’t allow her thoughts to run away with her like this. What she needed most now was focus, and a clear head. 

“I’m gonna go grab those old Jedi star charts from the archives,” Finn said, already springing into action. “There might be some clues there.”

“Hux and I can help with that,” Rose said, and surprisingly, Hux didn’t seem to mind being volunteered. Rose had sort of taken him under her wing since they’d left for Coruscant, and it seemed to work well, because she was far more patient with him than the rest of them were. 

Chewie said he would follow up with some of he and Han’s old smuggling contacts, to see if they knew anything, while Poe said he would do the same with some old Resistance buddies who worked in Galactic Alliance secret intelligence. 

“Ben and I will search through some of the books we’ve collected in the library, to see if we can find anything,” Rey said. She was pessimistic about the odds of this exercise being successful, because she’d already read through them multiple times. But she really didn’t know what else to do. 

As everyone hurried out of the dining hall, scrambling to start their individual assignments, Rose stopped beside Rey and gave her friend a quick hug. She must have noticed the haunted look in Rey’s eyes. 

“It will be okay, I promise,” she whispered, and then she darted after Hux and Finn to look through the star charts. 

***

Rey managed to keep up a brave face until she and Ben made it back to their hut, stacks of books in their arms as they prepared for what would probably be a long night of studying. 

Rey felt that people always expected her to be strong; she was a scavenger, a survivor, and a Jedi — if she could make it alone all those years on Jakku, she could face anything the galaxy threw at her. It was only with Ben that she felt she could truly let her guard down, and let him see inside her heart, with all of its anxieties and doubts and struggles. He was her refuge in a way she’d never experienced before with any other person. 

She didn’t even have to ask him to hold her tonight; he just knew that was what she needed. She buried her face in his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her head so that he completely enfolded her with his presence, both physically and emotionally through the Force. 

The hut that they shared on the island was somewhat similar to the hut Rey had found Luke Skywalker in when she’d first come to Ahch-To two years ago. Yet instead of a place of exile, together they’d made it a home. It was small but cozy, with a fireplace that provided heat on chilly nights. Ben had filled the windowsill with tiny potted plants, and Rey had hung a string of lights across the ceiling that in the darkness looked like stars. The warm, fuzzy rug on the floor had been made for them by Rose, and while it wasn’t _quite_ as plush as the lush carpet in the Spire of the Sun hotel room, Rey liked it even better because it had been a gift from a friend. 

“I know everyone else is hard at work right now, digging through old files or calling people who could maybe help us,” Rey said. “But I just have a feeling we won’t find anything in these books.”

Ben sighed. “I think you’re right about that. If the information was that readily available, Palpatine or Uncle Luke would have gone searching for the Mirror of Balance already. Crimson Dawn must have just found the file by chance, and then it got buried under the bureaucracy of the First Order. Or maybe Palpatine was looking for it but just never found it.”

“I want to do something about this — something actually useful — but I feel so helpless,” Rey said, frustration filling her voice as she curled her hands into fists. “I wish I could just reach out through the Force, find that shard, and crush it.”

Ben didn’t judge her for her anger; he understood that right now she just needed to vent. She’d always appreciated that about him. 

“Maybe those books can wait until the morning,” he said softly, leaning down so that his lips brushed the very tip of her ear. She felt his deep, quiet voice ignite something in her, and she learned into him as his hands slid down her back.

“Hux would kill us for wasting time,” she murmured, and Ben pulled back for just a second, grinning mischievously. 

“We will read those books...eventually. Besides, he’s never gonna know.”

He kissed her on the forehead, then the tip of her nose, then her lips, and then worked his way down her neck, until she felt as if every part of her was on fire. 

They didn’t have time for this, but she couldn’t face those stacks of books and the uncertainty/frustration they promised. Not yet. 

Right now, she just wanted to burn.

***

Afterwards, Ben and Rey really did try to get back to work and focus on studying, but Rey ended up falling asleep on the rug within an hour, curled up with a tattered, leather-bound book in her hands.

Ben gently picked her up and carried her to bed, tucking her underneath a fluffy blanket. She was so exhausted she didn’t even wake up as he moved her, continuing to snore softly. Rey always swore she didn’t ever snore, but she most definitely did, and Ben thought it was adorable. 

He was exhausted too, and he wanted to just give up for the night and curl up in bed beside Rey, but he knew Hux was going to blow a fuse if they didn’t have at least something to report tomorrow morning. 

He flipped through the pages of several books, but he was too restless to really concentrate. Eventually, he grabbed a glowrod and several of the books and quietly slipped outside, deciding to try reading up on the cliff. Maybe the change of scenery and cool night air would help focus his thoughts. 

He made the short climb up to the cliff and took a few moments to simply close his eyes and listen to the soothing sound of the waves crashing against the rocky shore. It wasn’t always easy for him to sit still and just be aware of the Force, but he was trying. 

_Show me what you need me to see…_ he asked the Force, and then made himself wait patiently for the answer. 

Almost immediately, he felt a shift, though the message through the Force had nothing to do with the books in front of him. 

He sensed a strange presence behind him, but before he could turn around, he felt the point of a blaster pressed to his back. 

“Kylo Ren — or Ben Solo, or whatever you’re going by these days — I’m going to need you to come with me.”

***

Rey stirred in bed, her eyelids fluttering open. Momentarily disoriented by the fact she’d fallen asleep on the rug and then woken up in a completely different spot, she smiled at the thought of Ben carefully carrying her to bed. 

She reached out but found the pillow next to her empty. That was odd — what time was it? Was it possible Ben was still awake and studying? All the lights in the hut were turned off, however; maybe he’d gone outside? 

“Ben?” she called out groggily, but there was no answer. “Ben, where are—”

She felt a sudden spike of fear in the Force, as if he were reaching out to her, warning her. 

She immediately threw off the blankets, calling her lightsaber to her and grabbing her staff as she burst through the door and ran up the cliff. 

“Ben!” she cried out into the night, and then she heard the sound of heavy footsteps. _A pair of footsteps — not just his._

A figure emerged from the shadows, moonlight shining on the woman’s dark blue hair and pale blue skin. She already had Ben in a pair of binders, with a blaster pointed at his chest. 

Rey flicked her lightsaber on, the yellow blade humming in the darkness. “Let him go,” she commanded. But the woman didn’t appear to be afraid, or even concerned. 

“I know who you are,” the other woman said bluntly. “Is it true the two of you really are a dyad in the Force?”

_How did she know to ask about that? And why would she need to know?_ Rey decided it was best not to answer, instead tightening her grip on her lightsaber and taking a step forward. 

Unfortunately, the woman simply interpreted Rey’s aggressive response as affirmation that her guess was correct. 

“I need the two of you to do something for me then,” she told Rey and Ben. “If I told you what it was, I’m sure you’d say no, so I’m not going to waste my time. Just come quietly, and there’s no need to disturb the rest of your friends on this island.”

“We’re not going with you, and you’re not going to hurt our friends,” Rey said, throwing the full weight of the Force behind her voice. “If you’re in danger, we can help you, but not like this.”

The woman sighed. “I was afraid you wouldn’t come quietly,” she said, and Rey felt a sudden stinging sensation in her neck. She realized the other woman had hit her with a stun dart seconds before the entire world went black.


	10. An Impossible Choice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone is doing safe and well in this time of quarantine and uncertainty. These days I find myself often reminded of this quote from “The Last Jedi”: “Hope is like the sun...if you only believe it when you see it, you’ll never make it through the night.” I’ve enjoyed being a part of the fanfiction community during this time, because it helps me to still feel connected, and not quite so alone. Starting with this chapter, “Heirs of the Force” is going to have a few twists and turns, but I promise all the main characters will get a happy ending, because right now I definitely think the world needs stories with happy endings. :)

Rey had to fight to wake up, pushing her way through the lingering after-effects of the tranquilizer drug that enveloped her like a fog, making it difficult for her to think with any kind of clarity. 

She tried to move but found she couldn’t; her arms and legs were currently restrained, fastened to a chair by binders. She started to panic, but then she felt Ben’s soothing presence through the Force, and his calm voice told her, “It’s all right, darling, I’m here.”

Rey blinked away the bleariness in her eyes and found she was in an empty, windowless room. The faint hum beneath her feet made her believe they were on some sort of starship. She and Ben were restrained back to back, and though that meant she couldn’t actually see him, she felt his fingers brush against hers, reassuring her. 

“Where are we?” Rey asked, her eyes darting around the room and looking for any clues that might help her figure out what was happening. There were none. 

“Well, pretty much all I know is that we’ve been kidnapped,” Ben said dryly. “I don’t have any idea who’s behind this or where they’re taking us.”

“What happened after I got stunned?” Rey said. She could still feel the point where the dart had pierced her skin; her neck continued to sting, though the pain wasn’t as sharp as before. 

“I don’t really know,” Ben answered honestly. “After that woman stunned you, I body-slammed her pretty hard, and so she stunned me too. That probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but I was really, really mad and I didn’t want her to lay a finger on you.”

Despite the situation, Rey felt a twinge of a smile tugging at her lips. _That was definitely a very “Han Solo” thing to do._

Her smile soon evaporated, however, as her mind returned to the scope of the mess they’d found themselves in. The kidnapping happening the same night they read the Shattered Glass files couldn’t be just a coincidence. And not only did this mysterious woman know about her and Ben being a dyad in the Force, she wanted to use the power of their bond for an unknown purpose. 

At least whoever was behind this hadn’t harmed their friends; Rey could still sense Finn through the Force, though his essence was hard to pinpoint. Rey hoped their kidnapper had inadvertently left some hint behind on Ahch-To about who she was and what she was planning. Rey knew Finn would have sensed Rey and Ben’s distress in the Force when they were taken, and he and their other friends had no doubt already started looking for them. She tried not to think about just how big a place the galaxy really was, and how easy it was to hide for someone who didn’t want to be found — after all, Palpatine had been able to hide an entire fleet of star destroyers out in the Unknown Regions. 

The door to the room suddenly swished open, and both Rey and Ben sat up, instantly alert and bracing themselves for whatever was coming. The woman who’d kidnapped them strode in first, wearing a plain gray jumpsuit with no distinguishing markings. Her dark blue hair lay in a braid across her shoulder, and while her gaze didn’t look angry or threatening, her expression definitely wasn’t friendly.

The woman was followed by an older human woman with a shaved head and steely eyes, and she too was wearing a nondescript gray uniform. Rey felt Ben’s sudden concern as he recognized the other woman. He sent Rey a quick message through the Force: _She’s a former First Order officer. Worked under Hux, but tried to undermine him anyway she could, though._

Rey couldn’t say she blamed the woman; although Hux seemed to have softened somewhat lately, she would have hated to work for him during the war. A lot of the First Order officers weren’t fond of him, she’d heard, claiming he’d only gotten his role through nepotism. 

Although the human woman was older and a former First Order officer, there was no doubt in Rey’s mind that their kidnapper was actually the person in charge of this situation. Rey tried to study her, to get some idea about who she was and what was motivating her, but the woman was impossible to read. She hid her emotions behind a seemingly impenetrable wall of grim resolve. Whatever her plan was, she believed she was in the right, and she’d do whatever it took to succeed. 

“My name is Za’ra, and I’m sorry about the stun darts,” their kidnapper said in a tone that indicated she wasn’t sorry at all. “You’ll probably have a pounding headache for the rest of the day, but I did try to warn you that things would be worse if you tried to resist.”

“Why are we here, Deluy?” Ben said, addressing the First Order officer directly. “The First Order is gone. I regret all the time I spent serving that organization, and I’m sorry for anything I may have done to you personally. There’s life beyond the First Order — I found a way out, and I want you to have that too—”

“We’re not trying to resurrect the First Order,” Za’ra snapped, cutting him off. “Deluy and I have no loyalty to that organization. As far as we’re concerned, the First Order, the Galactic Alliance, the Jedi, AND the Sith can all burn.”

The door swished open again, and a Trandoshan stepped into the room, wearing the same gray uniform as Za’ra and Deluy. Rey decided the plain uniforms must be a statement, perhaps an expression of how they were rejecting all the established government and military organizations that had come before. 

The Trandoshan handed a box to Za’ra, and Rey felt as though the temperature in the room suddenly dropped about 10 degrees. She didn’t know what that box was, but she did know that it radiated darkness. It carried a powerful aura of pain, anger, and loss, dating back thousands of years. This box had been used to do terrible things. 

_No_ — Rey suddenly realized — _not the box itself. What was inside it._ The box was actually meant to keep something very old, and very dangerous, contained. 

“Have you read the Shattered Glass files?” Za’ra asked, and Rey nodded curtly. 

“Good.” Za’ra stepped forward, holding out the box to Rey and Ben. “Then I won’t waste time explaining the legend to you. Inside this box is the last shard remaining from the Mirror of Balance. However, the box was locked by Andromedia, and it can only be opened by a dyad in the Force. I need you to open it for me now.”

“We will do no such thing.” Rey stared back at Za’ra, unflinching. “Why would we give you the power to stop people from using the Force? The Force needs to be free to operate as it wills; you shouldn’t try to contain it.”

“I admire your idealism and your defiance — really, I do,” Za’ra said, and Rey sensed the woman wasn’t actually being facetious. “But your idealism is getting in the way of our goals. You can either open the box willingly, or we’ll keep making it worse for you until you finally comply.”

Rey might have imagined it, but she thought she heard Za’ra’s voice crack ever so slightly as she finished her threat. Did that mean...Za’ra actually felt guilty about what she was doing here? Perhaps Za’ra was good at talking tough, but there was still a soul inside that knew what was right and wrong.

However, Rey wasn’t foolish enough to count on Za’ra’s compassion winning out, especially as the woman stepped even closer, so that her piercing eyes were mere inches from Rey’s. Because Rey was tied to the chair, she couldn’t move away, and just had to tolerate Za’ra’s intimidating presence in her personal space. 

Rey felt Ben’s fear and anger surge in the Force, on her behalf, but she urged him to stay calm. _Don’t give in, Ben — I can handle it. Don’t let her pressure us. We can’t do what she asks and put the galaxy in danger._

Rey could tell Ben was trying to be strong, but she could feel him reliving his memories of finding her limp body on Exegol. He’d felt such terror and grief in that moment. He couldn’t bear to lose her again, and he’d do anything to keep her from harm. But no matter what happened, they couldn’t open the box for Za’ra and Deluy. 

“You will open the box for us,” Deluy said, speaking up for the first time. Her voice was colder than Za’ra’s, more precision than passion. “Za’ra, I didn’t get a chance to tell you this before we were called in here, but the medical scans of the prisoners came back, and there were some very interesting findings.”

“Medical scans?” Rey asked, confused. 

“They scanned us, so they’d know how much torture we could physically take,” Ben said, his voice low but simmering with rage. “Do whatever you want to me, but don’t you dare touch Rey.”

“We’re not going to kill you or permanently damage you,” Za’ra said, instantly defensive. “We’re not heartless monsters, like the First Order was. There are lines we won’t cross. All we want is to set up a more just and fair galaxy that isn’t controlled by corrupt organizations like the First Order or the Galactic Alliance. 

“But, don’t doubt that we will keep you captive until you give us what we want. Why not just open up the box and get this over with? We’ll take you back to Ahch-To and then ask you to stay out of what happens next in the galaxy. Let us take down the Galactic Alliance. You can still use the Force on your little island — you just can’t come after us, because then of course the shard will nullify your powers.”

“What about the medical scans?” Rey wasn’t sure why she was so fixated on that, but the way Deluy had phrased it made it sound as if she’d uncovered something significant. Hopefully nothing was wrong with Ben or her. 

“Just touch the box, and go enjoy a quiet, simple life on Ahch-To,” Deluy said. “Do what’s best for your child.”

“What’s best for…” Rey’s voice trailed off, as the shock of what she’d just heard began to process. 

***

Rose found, to her surprise, that she actually didn’t mind working with Hux. He pored over the star charts without complaining, and asked for her opinion several times. He seemed to be making an extra effort to be nice to her, and it seemed like he might actually...enjoy her company? And maybe she was starting to enjoy his?

Rose shook her head. She didn’t have time to work through confusing thoughts like that right now. She had to stay focused on finding more clues to help them solve the mystery of “Shattered Glass.” Who knew what tiny detail might be the key to unlocking all this? She didn’t want to miss anything that might help. 

She and Hux were so focused on the star chart they were studying that they didn’t notice Finn leaving to go check on Poe and Chewie. They didn’t even realize he was gone until he burst through the door, his eyes as full of panic as the day he received that message from Poe that was actually Hux tricking them into coming to Qwan’dar. 

“They’re gone,” he said, breathless from running. “Rey and Ben, they’ve...they’ve been taken!”

“What?” Rose felt her heart freeze in her chest. _No, it couldn’t be._ “Are you sure they aren’t just—”

“I felt it in the Force,” Finn insisted, his face grief-stricken. “But not soon enough. I should have been there, I should have done something…”

Poe and Chewie ran up behind Finn, looking just as concerned and confused as he did. “We checked their house, and the door is just flapping in the wind. Rey’s saber is gone, and there’s a pile of books just lying on the hill. Finn’s right — they must have been kidnapped.”

Chewie rumbled, _It’s not your fault, Finn,_ and placed a hand on the young man’s shoulder as Finn’s eyes filled with tears. 

“I think we all know this must have something to do with Shattered Glass,” Poe said darkly. “But why take just Rey and Ben, and not the rest of us.”

“The report talked about Dakare and Andromedia being a dyad in the Force, just like Rey and Ben,” Rose said. “Maybe whoever stole the report and is searching for the Mirror of Balance shard needs a dyad for some purpose.”

“At least Rey and Ben are more valuable alive than dead,” Hux said, then after seeing everyone’s glares, he quickly added, “I meant that to be comforting! Rey and Ben are extremely powerful and valuable prisoners. The person who took them could have just killed them here on Ahch-To, but instead the kidnapper took them quietly. And alive.”

“And I would have sensed in the Force if they were truly gone,” Finn said, wiping the tears from his eyes and trying to put on a brave face again. “They’re still out there somewhere.”

“We’re going hunting for them now,” Poe said, whipping out his comlink. “Chewie, go fire up the _Falcon_ while I call D’Acy and Connix, see if there’s anything the Galactic Alliance can do to help us.”

Rose thought that Hux might protest, as he did to most of Poe’s hastily-formed plans. But all he said was, “We should take these star charts and books with us, then, to continue our research on the way. The key to finding the shard may also be the key to finding Rey and Ben.”

“All right, everybody get moving!” Poe ordered, slipping back into his Resistance leadership role as easily as he slipped on his flight gloves. “Grab the bare minimum of supplies you need, and then we’re taking off.”

Finn ran off to get his lightsaber as Poe and Chewie headed for the _Falcon_ , momentarily leaving Rose alone with Hux as they collected the star charts. Rose tried to move as fast as possible, because it kept her mind from racing through the list of all the horrible things that could have potentially happened to her friends. 

In her haste, she accidentally grabbed the same chart Hux was reaching for, and their fingers touched. 

Rose looked up, and their eyes met, and she was amazed to find an expression of genuine compassion on his face. 

“We’ll find your friends, I promise,” he told her solemnly. “Whatever it takes. We’ll bring them home safe.”

“Thank you,” Rose said, and found she took more comfort in his words than she would have guessed. Despite his feelings about Ben Solo, Hux really would risk everything to rescue him...because it mattered to Rose. 

***

_“Do what’s best for your child…”_

The words played in Ben’s mind in an endless loop, and he was pounded by a flood of emotions too overwhelming to make any sense of. 

_Shock. Joy. Uncertainty. Doubt. Hope. Fear._

Rey was pregnant? Deluy could be lying, but he didn’t sense any deceit through the Force. 

However, it all seemed so fast — they’d just discussed trying to start a family, and he wouldn’t have thought it would happen so soon. It had to be from the night at the Spire of the Sun, but that was only a day ago. Could the scans have actually identified conception that early, before Rey and Ben were even aware of it?

“Rey, I…” His voice cracked, and he couldn’t go on. What in the galaxy could he say to her right now? This news should have marked one of the best days of their lives, but instead it had been delivered in the cruelest way possible. Za’ra and Deluy really were going to use this happy occasion to try to manipulate Rey and Ben into doing something terrible. 

“Ben, don’t give in,” he heard Rey telling him, but through the haze of his emotions, her voice sounded fuzzy and far away. 

What the hell was he supposed to do? Za’ra had promised that she wouldn’t kill them or permanently harm them, but could they really trust her to keep her word? Ben couldn’t bear the thought of putting Rey’s — and now, also their baby’s — safety in jeopardy. 

Rey sensed his jumble of emotions, knew exactly what he was considering. “Ben, we can’t…”

Ben knew that touching that box could unravel everything the Resistance had fought and sacrificed for. But he also pictured the tiny life that he and Rey were planning to raise, and thought back to his own childhood. Snoke and Palpatine had always told him that his parents thought their work was more important than him, and though that wasn’t true, Ben had always wished they’d tried harder to win him back from the dark side. 

What if his future child learned that he’d decided the Galactic Alliance was more important than them? He just couldn’t choose duty over family. He’d want his child to know that he loved them so much he was willing to risk absolutely everything for them. 

Za’ra seemed to sense his resolve was wavering, and she shifted her focus from Rey to Ben. 

“Ben, you know what will happen, don’t—” Rey tried one last time to reach him, but Ben finally broke. 

His hand trembling, he reached out towards the box, and the second his fingers touched it, he felt a thundering shockwave in the Force. 


	11. Shatterpoint

Za’ra felt like she was going to be sick to her stomach. 

She hadn’t anticipated Deluy’s revelation about Rey being pregnant, and apparently, Rey and Ben hadn’t either. She saw the complex array of emotions on their faces, ranging from shock to joy to fear. This was something they’d hoped for, but hadn’t expected. And now Za’ra and Deluy were using this happy news to manipulate them.

_This is wrong and you know it._

Za’ra could hear her sister’s accusing voice in her head, and envision the disappointment in Willa’s eyes if she ever learned what Za’ra had done. Za’ra had kept Willa’s existence hidden so that her sister couldn’t be used as a bargaining chip, but here Za’ra was, doing the same terrible thing to Rey and Ben. 

_I’m no better than the First Order. I have no moral high ground to stand on anymore._

Za’ra felt the bile rising in her throat, but she forced herself to keep holding onto the box. She couldn’t let Deluy see her conviction weakening, especially not now that they were so close to getting the shard. Ben was going to touch the box, she knew it. Rey was still trying to resist, but mentally, Ben had already given in — he just had to reach out and place his hand on the box, unlocking the final door that stood between Za’ra and her goals. 

Za’ra had assumed, based on the information the Sith spirit Dakare had given her, that it would take both halves of a dyad to open the box that guarded the shard. So she was by no means prepared when Ben touched the box and the lid instantly popped open, releasing a shockwave of power that even Za’ra felt, despite the fact she had no Force sensitivity. 

Inside the box rested a piece of dark glass about the size of Za’ra’s hand, with razor sharp edges that would slice into your skin if you didn’t pick it up very carefully. It looked so unassuming, like an ordinary piece of broken glass, and it was hard to believe that such a simple object could hold so much power. 

For just a second, she feared that maybe this was all a hoax, but then her gaze flicked over to Rey and Ben, and she immediately realized the shard was just as powerful as Dakare had promised her. 

Rey and Ben both looked as if a very precious part of themselves had been ripped away from then, and again, Za’ra felt that haunting stab of guilt. She hadn’t thought of what it might feel like for someone who lived with a constant connection to the Force to suddenly have that taken away. It seemed as if the oxygen had been sucked from their lungs, and they glanced around in confusion, trying to adapt to this new state of existing. 

“The shard appears to be effective,” Deluy said, the normally stoic woman actually sounding pleased for once. Za’ra knew that many of their allies had been skeptical about the shard, and she wished she could take some satisfaction in the fact she’d just been proven right. Instead, Za’ra just felt hollow, her sense of triumph carved out of her and replaced by shame. 

“We need to share this news with the rest of Shatterpoint,” Deluy said, and Za’ra nodded curtly, because she didn’t trust herself to speak right now without betraying her inner conflict. 

“Shatterpoint” was the name given to their movement to oppose the Galactic Alliance. Za’ra didn’t like it. She hadn’t even wanted their movement to have a name, because that made them too much like the “First Order,” or the “Resistance,” or all those other organizations that had failed the galaxy. But people seemed to find comfort in labels, even rebels like them, and Za’ra hadn’t thought this was a battle worth fighting. 

Kraktt, the Trandoshan and former mercenary who had first brought the box into the room, returned to take Ben and Rey to a holding cell while Za’ra and Deluy prepared to make a broadcast to all the Shatterpoint operatives. Za’ra assumed that afterwards, they’d be returning Ben and Rey to Ahch-To, where they would hopefully learn their lesson and allow Shatterpoint’s mission to run its course without interference.

Kraktt placed both Rey and Ben in binders before escorting them out of the room, but Za’ra wasn’t sure that was even necessary, since he was also carrying the shard. Without weapons and without the Force, the two Jedi were pretty much harmless. 

Ben continued to look numb, but as Za’ra’s eyes accidentally met Rey’s, the other woman gave her such a powerful look of angry accusation that Za’ra actually took half a step back. It was a look that promised that despite the odds, Rey was not done fighting. Za’ra forced herself not to shudder as she considered just what Rey might be capable of right now, if not for the protective aura of the shard.

***

As soon as Ben and Rey were left alone in the holding cell, Ben sank back against the wall, sliding to the floor and burying his head in his hands.

The fading rush of adrenaline combined with the strange lack of the Force’s presence left him feeling lost and untethered. There had been times, when he was lost in darkness, where he’d wished he wasn’t Force sensitive, just so that he could escape from Snoke’s constant voice in his head. 

But this was awful — he’d lived with the Force his whole life, and now that it was gone, nothing felt real anymore. 

He couldn’t look at Rey; he knew she must be furious at him for touching the box, and giving this “Shatterpoint” organization everything they needed to destroy the fledgling Galactic Alliance. He knew he’d done something wrong, but refusing to touch the box — and putting their child in danger — hadn’t felt right either. 

He knew, logically, that he and Rey were still a dyad, even if they couldn’t sense it in the Force right now, but he hated not being able to feel her soothing presence around him and within him, as he’d become so accustomed to. Even when she’d left him in Snoke’s throne room on the _Supremacy_ , he hadn’t felt so alone. 

“I’m so sorry, Rey,” he finally said, still unable to look her in the eyes. “I know I shouldn’t have done that, and you have every right to be mad at me right now. I just...” He let his voice trail off, unsure of what else to say.

Rey knelt down next to him, placing her hand on his knee. “You’re right, Ben — that was an incredibly stupid thing to do, and I am mad at you. But I also love you more than anything else in this universe, and I understand why you did it. What’s done is done now, and I’m not going to let them divide us.”

At last Ben dared to look up, and Rey took his face in her hands. Both their eyes were sparkling with tears. 

“Do you think Deluy was telling the truth?” Rey said, her voice strangely hesitant, as if she was afraid to voice the question. “About our...our baby?”

Ben nodded, his heart full of emotion. “I do. And I’m thrilled, excited, and absolutely terrified.”

“I wanted this so, so much,” Rey said. She continued to hold his face in her hands, but her fingers were shaking. “But to find out like this, when the galaxy feels like it’s going to hell again…”

Ben wrapped his arms around her, bending down until his forehead touched hers. “You get to be happy about this, Rey — don’t let them take that away from you. You deserve to celebrate, even if the galaxy IS going to hell.”

Rey buried her face in his chest, and it felt so good to just hold her. Even though he couldn’t sense their dyad bond through the Force, touching her reminded him that their love was just as real as it had ever been. As long as they had each other, they’d get through this. 

“I don’t like not being able to feel the Force,” Rey said. “This feels like falling into one of the sinking fields on Jakku; it just sucks you under, and you can’t see or feel anything, and there’s nothing you can do about it. What if Finn can’t sense us anymore because of the shard and thinks we’re dead, and then our friends decide to give up searching for us?”

Ben hadn’t considered that, and he didn’t really have an answer. So instead he just held Rey tighter, and they clung to each other, taking comfort in their closeness. Za’ra had “promised” that if they touched the box, she’d return them to Ahch-To, but this mysterious Shatterpoint organization could easily decide they needed Rey and Ben for some other purpose. 

Hours slipped by, and finally Rey fell asleep, curled up in his arms. They hadn’t been provided a cot or even a blanket in this holding cell, and while Ben had held out hope they’d only be detained here for a short time before Za’ra updated them on their status, he realized they were probably going to be stuck here for a while.

He leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes, trying to get as comfortable as he could. His neck and shoulders already ached, but he was so exhausted he didn’t even notice the dull pain. He eventually fell into a fitful sleep, trying to focus on Rey and their hopes for the future, regardless of how impossible it might seem right now. 

_I’m going to be a father…_ he told himself as his thoughts grew hazy and sleep slowly claimed him. _Everything’s going to be okay. We’ll keep fighting. We beat Palpatine — we’ll beat this too. We HAVE to…_

***

Rey wasn’t sure how long she’d slept, and she woke up disoriented. It felt strange and disconcerting not to sense Ben through the Force, but he’d cradled her the entire time she’d been asleep, so she wouldn’t feel alone. 

Now more than ever, she wanted to take that shard from the Mirror of Balance and smash it into a thousand pieces, so she could feel the Force flowing through her again. Right now, whenever she tried to reach out to Finn, or levitate the small pebble she’d found in the corner of their cell, it felt like slamming into a wall. The Force was still there, surrounding her, but she couldn’t do a damn thing with it. 

When she finally heard footsteps coming down the hallway, she shook Ben awake and then jumped to her feet, peering through the bars to see who might be coming. Ben had told her he was pretty certain they were on a decommissioned Imperial star destroyer, though he had no idea how Shatterpoint had managed to steal such a valuable asset. 

Rey wasn’t excited to discover that it was Za’ra walking towards their cell, but at least maybe now they’d learn more about what their fate was going to be. Rey didn’t see the other woman holding the shard, but she could still feel its suppressing power. She wondered what the shard’s range was; could it truly be powerful enough to cover this entire star destroyer?

Za’ra’s expression was as difficult to pinpoint as always, but she seemed a little unsettled, as if things weren’t quite going according to plan. 

“I need you to come with me, Rey,” she said brusquely, and Rey immediately stiffened. 

“Where are you taking us?” she said, and Za’ra frowned. 

“There’s no ‘us’ — it’s just you. Ben will be staying here for now.”

Rey didn’t need the Force to warn her that something wasn’t right about all of this; she could sense that well enough on her own. “I’m not going anywhere without Ben. We either both leave, or we both stay.”

“I just need to talk to you privately for a moment,” Za’ra hissed, growing frustrated with Rey’s obstinacy. “I’ll bring you right back to this cell.”

“But why do you need just me?” Rey insisted. “What’s going on—”

She felt Ben’s strong hand on her shoulder. “It’s all right, Rey,” he said softly. “I’ll be fine here on my own for a couple minutes.”

Rey desperately wished they could use the Force to send each other a private message, because she really wanted to know what he was actually thinking. She didn’t trust Za’ra at all, but maybe whatever Za’ra wanted to tell her privately would turn out to be important information for defeating Shatterpoint later on. It just seemed so odd that she’d want to talk to Rey alone and not to Ben, especially since he’d been the one to actually open the box. 

Za’ra opened the door and fastened Rey’s hands into a pair of binders. Rey almost wanted to yell at Ben to make a break for it, while Za’ra was distracted, but she knew he probably wouldn’t get far. The only way off this star destroyer would be to sneak down to the hangar bay and steal a ship, and the odds of that plan succeeding were extremely slim without the Force. 

Rey quickly squeezed Ben’s hand before Za’ra pulled her out of the cell, and he held onto her fingers until the last possible second before they had to break contact. 

_I love you,_ he mouthed as Za’ra poked a blaster into Rey’s back and forced her to march down the hallway. 

Looking over her shoulder at Ben as long as she could, Rey held those unspoken words in her heart as Ben disappeared from sight. She didn’t like leaving him in the cell, but she was all too aware of the fact they had very little control over their situation now. 

Za’ra made her walk quickly, but Rey tried to observe as much about her surroundings as she could. She was positive now they were on a star destroyer, though it was certainly less well-kept than all the First Order ships she’d been on. She also found it interesting that they didn’t pass any other beings as they went; maybe this star destroyer was understaffed because Shatterpoint was still a small movement. That could be why they needed the shard to give them some kind of advantage. 

Za’ra eventually led Rey to the hangar, of all places, and Rey’s sense of unease continued to grow. Why would they be going to the hangar if Za’ra just planned to chat with Rey for a few minutes and then take her right back to the cell?

The hangar was just as rundown as the rest of the star destroyer Rey had seen, although it did have a few TIE fighters that appeared to be in decent shape. 

“Can you fly a TIE fighter?” Za’ra asked, and Rey whirled around, staring at the other woman accusingly. 

“Why would I need to fly a TIE fighter?” she asked. “What’s going on? I want you to take me back to Ben right now.”

Za’ra’s jaw tightened, but she did lower her blaster. “I’m sorry — I lied, okay? I’m not planning to take you back to your cell. I’m giving you a chance to escape right now, but you have to go alone.”

Rey felt as though she’d been punched in the stomach. There was no way in the galaxy she was going back to Ahch-To without Ben. She’d literally traveled to hell and back to save him from death after the battle on Exegol, and she wasn’t going to abandon him to an uncertain fate in Shatterpoint’s hands. 

“I don’t care how many times you ask me — I’m not leaving him behind,” Rey said. It didn’t matter if her hands were locked together in binders or if Za’ra had a Force-cancelling shard — she was going to fight this. 

“You’re as stubborn as I am,” Za’ra muttered. She grabbed Rey’s wrists, and Rey immediately braced herself, but to her surprise, all Za’ra did was deactivate Rey’s binders (though she did still keep a blaster pointed at Rey’s chest). 

“Look, even I can tell that man is ridiculously in love with you, and I know you don’t want to leave without him,” Za’ra said. “But if he were standing here right now, I can guarantee he’d tell you to take this chance. There’s something about this situation that you need to understand.”


	12. Fractured Legacy

“What?” Rey was in no mood to be cooperative right now. “Exactly what about this situation do I need to understand?”

“I know I promised that after the box opened, I’d take you and Ben back to Ahch-To,” Za’ra said, her voice filled with irritation (though not directed entirely at Rey). “And I fully intended to keep my word. However, it looks like certain other members of Shatterpoint had different ideas.

“Deluy and I just wrapped up our presentation about finding the Mirror of Balance and we explained how powerful the shard truly is. We showed a recording, which very obviously demonstrates you and Ben’s reaction to the shard and your sudden lack of ability to experience the Force. But some Shatterpoint members wanted to keep a Jedi around permanently so we could experiment with the shard, determine what its range is, and, if necessary, prove the shard’s power to the Galactic Alliance so they’ll agree to our demands.”

Rey stared at Za’ra, her hands clenching into fists. She was angry — no, “angry” wasn’t strong enough of a word. She was furious. If she could still sense the Force, she might have felt the dark side swirling around her, but at the moment, she didn’t care. 

“Shatterpoint wanted to keep both of you, but I was able to persuade them that one Jedi would be enough,” Za’ra went on, as if she had just done Rey an incredible favor. “So why don’t you just go back to Ahch-To, Rey, and keep your baby safe. Ben will be returned to you as soon as the Galactic Alliance falls — maybe that will give your friends some motivation to surrender sooner rather than later, and not try to fight this.”

“And why should I believe you?” Rey fired back. “You seem to be very good at breaking your promises and changing your plans. I don’t see any reason to trust you.”

Rey’s words seemed to hurt Za’ra more than she would have guessed; Za’ra appeared to care quite a bit about maintaining her honor, but Rey had no sympathy for her right now. 

“This is beyond my control, all right?” Za’ra insisted. “Shatterpoint operates a little differently than the corrupt governments you’re used to. All decisions are made by vote — every member of Shatterpoint gets a say in our plans. Everyone voted to keep one Jedi behind, and I can’t just go against the will of the majority.”

Rey glared, her eyes still simmering with anger. “You say Shatterpoint is different from the corrupt governments I’ve experienced in the past, but taking captives and then lying to them and manipulating them doesn’t seem very honorable to me.”

Za’ra knew Rey was right, and her lack of reply simply confirmed that. Instead, Za’ra gestured to the TIE fighter closest to them. “Please, just go. Your lightsaber is already in the fighter, waiting for you.”

Rey stared at the TIE fighter for a moment, desperately trying to come up with a plan. Unfortunately, all her plans involved the Force. She could think of only one other option, and she knew Ben wouldn’t like it. However, it was what she felt she had to do. 

“Well, if Shatterpoint wants a Jedi, then take me instead,” Rey said, holding out her wrists so that Za’ra could fasten them into binders again. “Ben has already suffered enough under the First Order. I’ll stay in his place.”

Rey’s offer actually seemed to move Za’ra, and increased the look of guilt in the other woman’s eyes. Rey wondered if there was someone Za’ra cared about enough to make a similar offer of sacrifice for. A parent, maybe? Or a sibling? A lover? A child? A friend?

“You’re a good person, Rey,” Za’ra said, her voice suddenly very quiet and subdued. “I may hate what you stand for as a Jedi and a supporter of the Galactic Alliance, but I admire your courage. However, I can’t accept your offer. Shatterpoint wanted to keep Ben Solo, specifically. On account of his legacy.”

Rey flinched; “legacy” was a complicated and painful word for her, after everything that had happened on Exegol. She still tried to use the word “Palpatine” as little as possible. 

“I hate people’s obsession with names and legacies,” Za’ra said, and Rey could tell the woman was telling the truth, at least about that. “It shouldn’t matter what your name is, or where you’re from. But Shatterpoint feels Ben Solo is simply too valuable a prisoner to give up right now. He’s the son of Leia Organa and Han Solo, two of the biggest heroes in the Rebellion, and he’s also a Skywalker, the grandson of Darth Vader. If the shard renders him powerless, people will, in theory, fear it more.”

Rey didn’t know how to feel about Za’ra’s words, and she felt her anger gradually start to fade, replaced by doubt. 

Rey knew she shouldn’t care if Shatterpoint thought she was a worthy prisoner or not, but...it still hurt. She’d struggled with her feelings about being an impostor and not being worthy enough to be a Jedi during her time in the Resistance. Even though Leia and her friends like Poe and Finn and Rose had accepted her and always reassured her that she was enough, just as she was, Rey had still doubted herself. 

“I think not having a legacy actually makes you more powerful, but you should feel grateful that 60% of Shatterpoint didn’t agree,” Za’ra said. “Several former First Order members wanted to keep both Ben and you, because you’re supposedly a Palpatine, but I was able to inform them that wasn’t true. It was enough to convince a narrow majority of the voters to let you go.”

Za’ra dropped the revelation so casually, that it took Rey a second to realize what she’d actually said. 

Rey had never forgotten the moment she’d learned that Palpatine was her grandfather — it had been one of the worst moments of her life. She’d always wanted a family, and a sense of belonging, but not like that. 

By this point, she’d almost, _finally_ made peace with her dark history, and now Za’ra was telling her that was all a lie?

“Wait — you actually believed you were a Palpatine?” Za’ra asked, her eyes widening as she suddenly realized she’d told Rey something she didn’t know. “I read the files...I thought surely you and Ben would know this too.”

“No — please enlighten me.” The voice that came out of Rey was detached and cold; this was all too much to process, and she felt like she was suddenly drowning, suffocated by her own emotions. 

Za’ra continued to appear genuinely surprised. “Palpatine’s Final Order...you really don’t know the whole truth, do you? Crimson Dawn found a file that had to be translated from the ancient Sith language, which had Palpatine’s complete plan outlined in great detail. The file was transferred to me by accident, but I assumed Palpatine had already told Kylo Ren all the information directly.”

“Ben...he…he told me that Palpatine was my grandfather,” Rey said, and Za’ra shook her head. 

“Well, Palpatine may have told Kylo Ren that, but it wasn’t true,” Za’ra said. “Palpatine was obsessed with legacy — which eventually led to his downfall, of course. He wanted an heir to pass on his name, just like Anakin Skywalker had with Leia and Luke, but Palpatine never actually had a child. He was hunting for young Force sensitives across the galaxy so he could claim to be their grandfather and force them to carry on his Sith legacy. He was very impressed with you, Rey, and he thought he could prey on you more easily because you were an orphan.”

Rey knew she should be feeling relief right now that she had no actual connection to Palpatine, but instead her stomach was twisting into knots. If Palpatine wasn’t her grandfather, then what was the real truth about her parents? 

“My parents were still trying to protect me from Palpatine, though...weren’t they?” Rey hated the way her voice trembled as she asked the question, but she couldn’t help how afraid she was to hear the answer. In the shock of learning she was allegedly Palpatine’s granddaughter a year ago, the one comfort had been the revelation that her parents were actually good people who’d done their best to save her. She couldn’t bear to think that was actually a lie as well. 

“I don’t know much about your parents,” Za’ra said, and Rey could tell she was actually treading carefully here, to avoid hurting Rey more than necessary. Somehow, watching her captor trying to be compassionate made all of this even worse. “But...I think maybe Palpatine wanted you to believe they were better than they actually were, so that you’d be angrier that they died, and then he could use that anger to pull you to the dark side.”

Rey could feel her eyes welling with tears, and found she couldn’t stop them. “They were filthy junk traders...weren’t they? They really did sell me off for drinking money.” That’s what Kylo Ren had told her in Snoke’s throne room, and ironically, that had probably been the truth all along. 

Za’ra nodded. “I am sorry — really I am. It looks like they were con artists pretending to be Sith cultists, so maybe that’s how Palpatine learned about them...and you.”

Rey’s tears were falling fast and hard now, and she hated that Za’ra had to see her cry. She felt like the ground had disappeared beneath her feet, and she was just falling down, down, down into a hopeless void. 

_Your parents WERE nobodies. They didn’t want you after all._

She imagined Palpatine laughing at her, and sneering at her grief. The former Emperor had woven a complex web of lies and half-truths — as he always did — deceiving her, Ben, and even Leia and Luke. He’d allowed her to believe that her parents actually cared about her, when the truth was that she’d always been alone. 

And beneath her grief, an even darker realization began to fester as Rey considered the fact that if she wasn’t actually a Palpatine, then she had no one to blame for her struggles with the dark side but herself. 

She remembered how the Sith lightning had sprung from her fingers on Pasaana, exploding a transport ship and causing her to believe, at the time, that she’d accidentally killed Chewie. She’d later thought that was just her “Palpatine lineage” manifesting, but now she knew better. The darkness had been entirely of Rey’s own making. 

It took all of Rey’s strength to keep standing, as the weight of this revelation pressing down on her threatened to drive her to her knees. Za’ra was getting even more restless now, anxious for Rey to leave, but Rey didn’t have the power to move or even speak. All she wanted right now was Ben, so she could curl up in his arms and pretend the rest of the galaxy didn’t exist. Yet Za’ra was trying to take him away from her too. 

“Please, Rey, just go — before Shatterpoint changes its mind.” 

Za’ra was practically begging her now; she was desperate for Rey to escape to “safety,” so that she could alleviate at least some of her guilt about this situation.

“You know what, Rey, if I have to force your hand, I will.” Za’ra raised her blaster as she started slowly backing away. “I’m gonna give you 30 seconds, and then I will depressurize this hangar. Unless you want to be sucked out into space, you’ll have to get in that TIE fighter and fly away.”

Za’ra wasn’t bluffing; Rey could tell that the woman actually would do this in order to make her leave. Rey finally accepted that she would have to comply for now, but this wasn’t over.

“I will leave,” Rey said, letting the full force of her anger fill her voice. “But I will come back for Ben. It doesn’t matter where you go, or where you try to hide him; I will not stop searching for him. And when I do find him, you’d better hope you’re not there.”

Za’ra had already disappeared from sight, but Rey hoped she’d heard each word of that promise. She meant every bit of it. 

The decompression warning alarms started blaring, and Rey sprinted towards the TIE fighter, jumping into the pilot’s seat and making sure that Za’ra really had left her lightsaber in the cockpit. 

Za’ra opened the hangar to the vacuum of space, and Rey piloted the TIE fighter towards the stars, numb to everything but her anger and determination. 

_I’m not leaving you, Ben,_ she vowed. _I’m coming back for you, whatever it takes._ He probably couldn’t hear her, because of the Force-cancelling shard, but he’d know it in his heart just the same. Not even the shard could break their bond; she was going to prove that to Za’ra, and all the rest of Shatterpoint. 

***

Rose had no idea what time it was, or how long it had been since she slept. They’d been flying around in the _Falcon_ for hours now, trying to uncover any clues they could about where Rey and Ben might have been taken. 

Poe and Chewie were up in the cockpit, flying the ship, and Finn was in another room meditating and searching for direction from the Force while BB-8 watched over him. 

Rose and Hux were sitting at the dejarik table, still trying to study the star charts and Jedi texts, but Rose’s stress was finally beginning to catch up to her, and she was so exhausted — both physically and emotionally — that she could barely keep her eyes open. 

Without even realizing it, she eventually dozed off, and didn’t wake up until she heard BB-8’s eager beeping.

Hux had actually fallen asleep as well, and they’d unintentionally leaned against each other as they slept, Rose resting her head on Hux’s shoulder. 

Embarrassed, she quickly straightened and scooted several inches away from Hux, whose face had turned bright flaming red as he tried to nonchalantly straighten his jacket, which had gotten wrinkled while he dozed. 

Rose had hoped BB-8 was bringing news, but Finn had actually just sent him over with nutrition bars for them to eat, since no one could really remember when their last meal had been. As soon as they’d taken the nutrition bars, he beeped and rolled away, leaving Rose and Hux alone again in awkward silence. 

“I’m sorry, I...uh...hope I didn’t bother you,” Rose started, but Hux was already shaking his head. 

“I didn’t mind,” he said. “I mean, you did nothing wrong. I mean…”

“I feel so guilty for sleeping when I should have been studying,” Rose said, trying to ease some of the awkwardness by pivoting away from their accidental moment of intimacy. “I’m just so tired, and I’m so worried about my friends.” 

She finally worked up the courage to actually look Hux in the eyes, and she found he was listening to her intently. “Thank you for helping,” she said. “You’ve gone above and beyond what I’m sure was your original plan to just meet the Crimson Dawn operative and then part ways.”

“I don’t know how much help I’ve actually been,” Hux said, in a rare display of candor. “But I’ve come this far, so I’ll see it through.” He paused, and his eyes darted away, as if he was nervous about what he wanted to say next. 

“I...I’ve been thinking about what you said to me in the Spire of the Sun,” he said, and Rose tilted her head, a bit surprised. 

“About how we aren’t always the person that others think we are,” he continued. “No one ever really tried to see who I was beyond my title ‘First Order general,’ and I was all too happy to play the villain people believed that I was. But you told me I had the power to change, and I didn’t have to play the villain in this story.

“I’ve never been able to admit this to anyone before, but I...I don’t like who I am, Rose. I don’t like being so alone, and so hated. I don’t know how, but I do want to change. Your kindness to me makes me believe that it might actually be possible to—”

Hux didn’t get to complete his thought, because right then Finn came running through the room, motioning frantically for Rose and Hux to follow him to the cockpit. 

Confused and more than a little concerned, Rose quickly stood and dashed after him, wondering why it was that she and Hux kept getting interrupted whenever they started to have a deeper conversation. She found herself feeling strangely disappointed. 

She didn’t hold onto that disappointment for very long, however, because she could see that whatever Finn had to share was very, very important. 

“We need to go back to Ahch-To,” Finn said the second he burst into the cockpit, and Chewie and Poe immediately turned around in their chairs. 

“We’ve barely even started searching—” Poe began, but Finn didn’t let him finish.

“I know, but...but Rey’s there right now. And she needs me to come back.”

“Rey just showed up on Ahch-To?” Poe asked in disbelief. “What the hell is going on? Is Ben with her?”

“I don’t know, but please, can we hurry?” Finn said, and Poe wisely said no more as he and Chewie plotted a new course. 

Rose should be excited to hear some good news, but she sensed that somehow, this wasn’t actually “good news” after all. The pained expression on Finn’s face told her there was far more to this story. Rey might be back home, but it certainly didn’t look like they were out of danger. 

***

Rey barely remembered what happened after she broke through the atmosphere on Ahch-To, guiding the TIE fighter through the heavy storm clouds that were gathering in the sky. 

As soon as the TIE fighter touched down on top of the cliff, in what may have been her bumpiest-ever landing, she staggered out of the cockpit, shaking so badly she could hardly stand. 

Her lightsaber slipped out of her hands, and she just let it fall, unable to muster the will to pick it up right now. The wind whipped around her, and though the sudden cold was making her body shiver, she didn’t even notice. 

She was vaguely aware of the _Falcon_ swooping in for a dramatic landing (Poe always flew with an unmistakable flair), and then her friends all came running out of the ship, their faces etched with concern. 

Finn and Rose were the first to reach her, and they caught her right before her knees gave way, wrapping their arms around her in a tight hug and preventing her from collapsing. 

Rey wanted to tell them everything that happened — about her surprise pregnancy, Shatterpoint, Palpatine, and the truth of who she really was — but she was so exhausted and emotionally drained that she couldn’t find the words. Her anger had sustained her on the flight to Ahch-To, but now that she was back home — without Ben — she felt a terrible weariness dragging her under. She desperately needed to sleep, but she didn’t want to go to bed without him. 

Chewie gently picked up Rey’s saber and held onto it for her, resting his other paw comfortingly on her shoulder. 

“We came as soon as I sensed you,” Finn finally said, still holding onto Rey. She was grateful he hadn’t let go yet, because she wasn’t ready to stand on her own. 

“Thank you — it was so good to...to feel you in the Force again,” Rey said. She took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to prepare herself for what was to come. 

“The shard is real, and it really can stop the Force,” she said grimly. “The organization that’s planning to use it is called Shatterpoint, and they want to destroy the Galactic Alliance. They also have Ben. They let me go, but not him.”

“Oh Rey, I’m so sorry,” Rose said, tears welling in her eyes. “We’ll find a way to get him back, I promise.”

“I know.” At last Rey felt strong enough to take a step back, standing on her own and turning her face into the wind, watching the waves crashing against the rocky shores of the island. The thunderstorm almost felt as if it was a direct response to her mood, but she didn’t have time to think about whether or not she was drawing on the dark side. “Wherever I have to go, and whatever I have to do, I’m going to find him.”

A bright flash of lightning lit up the sky, followed by a loud crack of thunder, but Rey did not flinch. 

She _would_ bring Ben home. She simply refused to lose him again.


	13. Undercover Mission

_Five months later…_

Rey stood in front of the mirror in her home on Ahch-To, hastily braiding her hair and then winding it into a knot on top of her head. Her clothes were more than a little wrinkled — she’d been so exhausted last night that she’d just fallen asleep in them — but right now, she didn’t particularly care. 

She was wearing a pair of plain, dark gray pants, a standard, off-white shirt, and mud-splattered leather boots, along with her light gray armwraps. She’d recently had to trade out her double belt for a single leather band around her waist, to accommodate her swelling midsection. 

Shatterpoint had told her plenty of lies, but at least the fact she was pregnant was not one of them. She was about five months along now and had finally started to appear obviously pregnant. She’d also learned that she was carrying not just one child, but two — twin girls who were already strong and determined, judging by their level of activity inside her. 

She placed a hand on her stomach, reaching out to her daughters with the Force and trying to blink back the tears threatening to leak out of her eyes. 

Ben had already missed so many milestones, including finding out they were going to have twins and feeling the babies kick for the first time. And it was all because of Shatterpoint. 

Rey was trying not to hate them, because she knew hatred was the path to the dark side, but it was hard not to. They’d stolen so many precious memories that she and Ben should have shared, and she’d never be able to get them back. If she didn’t find Ben before the twins were born...well, even as a Jedi she didn’t think she’d ever be able to forgive Za’ra.

Rey hadn’t stopped searching for Ben in the five months since he’d been kidnapped and held hostage by Shatterpoint. She’d gotten close to finding him several times, but Shatterpoint was hard to pin down. The organization had no permanent base of operations, and their fleet was small and difficult to track, consisting mainly of the star destroyer Rey had been released from and an old Rebellion-era blockade runner. 

The rest of Shatterpoint’s fleet was a hodgepodge of stolen ships from the Empire, the Rebellion, and the First Order, a fact that was most definitely meant to serve as a symbol that Shatterpoint didn’t hold to any particular code. They were attempting to rise from the ashes of what they viewed as the failed movements preceding them. They didn’t seem to acknowledge that at their core, they were really no different than the First Order.

The Galactic Alliance hadn’t taken Shatterpoint seriously at first, despite Rey’s testimony and the testimonies of her friends. It wasn’t until Shatterpoint started ramping up its series of random attacks that Galactic Alliance leadership finally began to realize they might be a legitimate threat to the new, tentative peace in the galaxy. 

Shatterpoint focused on government and military targets, sending in a small crew to deal damage and then quickly retreating back into the Unknown Regions to hide again. Rey knew the Galactic Alliance wanted Rey and Finn to use their Jedi powers to fight Shatterpoint in an official capacity, but Rey had told them no. First, she had to find Ben, and then she’d help deal with Shatterpoint. 

She and Finn had temporarily disbanded their Jedi academy. Not just because they were rarely on Ahch-To anymore, but because Rey also believed the children would be safer with their families and guardians. Za’ra knew too much about Ahch-To, and Rey wouldn’t put it past Shatterpoint to come and kidnap more Jedi. 

Lando had offered shelter off-planet for the children without parents or guardians, and C-3PO and R2-D2 had remained with him. The droids helped the students send Rey a holo-message at least once a week, to encourage her and assure her that she would find “Master Ben” soon. 

Rey went out searching for Ben every day with Chewie, Finn, Rose, and, somewhat surprisingly, Hux. Poe helped as often as he could, but due to the increasing threat of Shatterpoint, the Galactic Alliance kept him busy with official duties. 

Rey hadn’t expected Hux to stay this long, but he actually seemed quite invested in finding Ben — more invested than the Galactic Alliance was, which was another sore point for Rey. Although as her friends, D’Acy, Connix, and Jannah helped with the search, as a government agency the Galactic Alliance said they couldn’t spare any official resources. 

They told her it was because they needed to conserve resources for the coming fight against Shatterpoint, but Poe had privately told her that they feared a public relations backlash if they spent too much time and money searching for the former supreme leader of the First Order. 

Poe didn’t agree with that sentiment, of course; he was doing everything in his power to help her find Ben. But it hurt Rey that even after all Ben had done to redeem himself, some members of the Galactic Alliance couldn’t seem to see past his old title. 

Rey heard a knock on her door, and then Rose’s soft, “Can I come in?”

Rey had encouraged Rose multiple times to go back to her mechanics shop on Coruscant, because as much as she treasured her friend’s presence and found it to be a comfort in this difficult time, she did not want Rose’s business to suffer. But Rose’s employees were doing a great job handling the business, Rose assured her, and she wouldn’t abandon her friend in a time of need. 

The door to Rey’s home swung open, and Rose stepped inside, looking as tired and disheveled as Rey herself. She noticed that Rose was also wearing yesterday’s clothes, though it seemed like she’d made an attempt to iron them. Rey hadn’t even bothered with that. 

Hux had actually come with Rose, which normally would have been a bit unexpected, but these days it was common to find Hux following Rose around. A lot about Hux had softened since he’d sort of unofficially joined their “team,” and though he still bickered with Poe, he was always a perfect gentleman to Rose. 

Rey wasn’t exactly sure what was going on between the two of them, but she believed that Hux had fallen — very hard — for Rose. She hadn’t said anything to Rose about it, because she wasn’t sure what Rose’s thoughts about Hux may or may not be. But Rey perfectly understood the look of wistful longing in Hux’s eyes whenever he looked at Rose, because that was exactly the same way Rey had looked at Ben, when she was beginning to develop feelings for him but he was still serving the First Order. 

“We brought you some breakfast, before we all head out for the day,” Rose said, and Hux handed Rey a plate of steaming potatoes and some meiloorun fruit. Hux had likely cooked the meal himself; he’d volunteered to take over most of the kitchen duties, and was actually quite an impressive cook. 

Rey marveled at how much Hux had softened in the past five months, and it was hard not to feel a pang as she looked back at her own self, and considered the woman she’d become. 

As much as this time had softened Hux, it had hardened Rey. She was trying not to let bitterness take over, but it was difficult. Every day without Ben here stripped away a little more of her optimism and hope; she felt like her softer edges were being sharpened into something hard and cold, turning her into a weapon whose only purpose was revenge. 

She tried not to dwell on everything Za’ra had told her about her family, but Za’ra’s revelation that Rey’s parents had never really cared about her had wounded her in a very deep and private part of herself that was still having trouble healing. It meant she and Hux actually had more in common than she wanted to admit — they’d both grown up unwanted, and that type of childhood left scars on a person’s heart. 

_I’m going to build a life that’s so much better for you,_ she promised the twin girls growing inside her. _I’ll never abandon you or give you up. You’ll always be valued and loved — by both me and Ben._

“How are you feeling today, Rey?” Rose asked, trying to smile. She asked the question casually, but Rey knew her friend was worried about her. Rey had become increasingly withdrawn and short-tempered since Ben had been kidnapped, and her friends had most definitely noticed that she wasn’t herself. 

“I’m just...ready for this to be over,” Rey said, reaching for Ben’s jacket and throwing it on before quickly shoveling down the food Hux had made her. She’d started wearing Ben’s jacket on missions, because having it made her think of him, and helped him feel just a little bit closer. She’d much rather be held by him, but this was better than nothing. 

“Poe thinks he has a really good lead this time,” Hux said, attempting to be encouraging, but Rey tried not to get her hopes up too much. They’d found plenty of leads before, and so far, none of them had come to anything. However, there was a peculiar gleam in Hux’s eyes this time that made her believe they might actually be onto something. 

“Poe picked up this bit of information in a Galactic Alliance intelligence briefing, and technically he wasn’t really supposed to pass it along but he did it anyway — you know Poe,” Hux said. “Crimson Dawn backed it up too. It looks like we may have actually found Shatterpoint’s base of operations this week.”

Poe had long theorized that Shatterpoint changed the location of its temporary bases once a week, based on some of the evidence he’d found. It was probably a large part of what made them so hard to locate. 

Hux held up his datapad, displaying a picture of a vibrant, blue and green world. “It’s a planet called Wyxr, and it’s in the Unknown Regions. At first it looks like a paradise — beaches, sparkling blue ocean, lots of tropical plants. But the atmosphere is toxic to most beings, except for the incredibly vicious predators that live there.”

“Sounds like the perfect place for Shatterpoint then,” Rey said sarcastically. 

“There’s an abandoned First Order research facility there,” Hux explained. “And, even better — Crimson Dawn now has a double agent inside Shatterpoint, and they confirmed that Shatterpoint is at the Wyxr site right now. But we have to hurry, since they’ll be packing up tomorrow morning.”

Rey felt a rush of both excitement and anxiety — yes, this definitely was the most promising lead they’d tracked down so far. But the fact that this was actually concrete, verified information also raised the stakes; this might be their best — and only — chance to rescue Ben. If they botched this and Shatterpoint found out, they’d hide Ben even deeper in the Unknown Regions, and they might never find him. 

“We’re supposed to meet Jannah and Poe on Qwan’dar,” Rose added. “They’re smuggling in some gear for us to use.” Since joining the Resistance’s attack on the Sith fleet at Exegol, Jannah had been helping with the Galactic Alliance’s former stormtrooper rehabilitation program, as a former stormtrooper herself. She was a fighter and a survivor, and her skills would definitely come in handy on this unauthorized mission. 

“This extraction might be a little more dangerous than some of the missions we’ve been on before,” Hux said, his voice turning hesitant. He also didn’t seem to be quite able to look Rey in the eyes. “We weren’t sure if you felt comfortable coming with us, considering your...uh..condition…”

“I can handle it,” Rey said curtly, buttoning Ben’s jacket over her baby bump. She wouldn’t do anything to truly put her daughters at risk, and she was terrified that if she didn’t go and the plan failed, she’d be haunted forever by the thought that maybe she could have helped Ben, if she’d been there. 

“Then let’s go,” Rose said with a nod. “Jannah and Poe messaged us, and they’re already on their way to Qwan’dar. We need to take advantage of every moment we have to work through the details of this plan.”

What Rose didn’t add, but all three of them understood, was that they had to get every single detail right because they couldn’t afford to fail. 

_I won’t let that happen,_ Rey promised her twins, sending them peace and comfort in the Force. _I’m going to do this, for him and for you._

She clipped her lightsaber to her belt and then turned around and walked out the door, determined that the next time she walked into her home, Ben would be with her. 

***

“So, do you think we’ve got it? Should we go over the details one more time or—?”

“Yes, Hux — we’ve got it.” Poe rolled his eyes and stood up from the dejarik table in the _Millennium Falcon_ , planning to head back to the cockpit to check on Chewie. “We’ve literally gone over the plan 15 times. If we don’t have it memorized by now, we never will.”

The old Hux probably would have fired back a spicy retort, but instead he just nodded stiffly, switching off his datapad. “Very well then.” Rose could tell he was a little annoyed with Poe, but he let it go, understanding — rightly — that now was not the time for bickering. 

Rose double-checked that her blaster was fully charged one more time before clipping it into her holster, and then she sat back and took in a long, deep breath. 

This was it — their best, and perhaps only, chance to get Ben Solo-Organa back. _Please let this work,_ she prayed to the Force. She didn’t want to think about what would happen to Rey if they failed this time, after so many disappointments in the past. 

Rey was sitting across from her at the dejarik table, looking surprisingly calm despite the fact they were only about five minutes away from the planet of Wyxr. Right now Rey appeared focused and determined, but Rose could also sense the darkness gathering around her friend. 

Rose was deeply worried about Rey. She hadn’t mentioned anything to anyone else, because she didn’t want to gossip behind Rey’s back. However, she was sure Finn had noticed it too, judging by the way he always seemed to be looking at Rey with uneasy concern. 

Rose didn’t blame Rey for being angry. Shatterpoint had kidnapped her and lied to her, and was now holding hostage the man she loved. She was five months pregnant, and she hadn’t even been able to share with Ben that she was carrying twins. 

But still, she couldn’t help but be anxious about how fast Rey seemed to be spiraling. Although Rose didn’t know much about the dark side, she was sure it was tempting Rey. She didn’t want to lose one of her best friends in the whole galaxy to the same darkness that had once poisoned Ben. 

Rey had told them the truth about her heritage, that she wasn’t actually a Palpatine and that her parents had discarded her. Rose’s heart ached for Rey; she knew that not being tied to the Palpatine lineage was a relief, but Rey was still grieving the wound her parents had dealt her so many years ago. 

What could you even say to someone who had been through that kind of trauma? All Rose could do was try to be the best friend that she possibly could to Rey, and reassure her that even though her biological family had abandoned her, her friends in the Resistance never would. 

Jannah couldn’t read Rose’s thoughts, but she must have seen the troubled look on the other woman’s face, because she placed a gentle hand on Rose’s shoulder as she prepared to suit up. 

“This will work,” she said, smiling encouragingly. “I’ve been on plenty of risky operations, and our plan is as airtight as it can possibly be. If we can ride orbaks across a star destroyer and take down Palpatine’s Final Order, we can do this too.” 

“Of course we can,” Rose said, trying to convince herself that she felt as confident as Jannah looked. 

Their plan for infiltrating the former First Order research facility/current Shatterpoint base was relatively simple in theory, but in order for it to work, every step would have to be executed perfectly. 

They’d pieced together the plan based on details provided by the Galactic Alliance and Crimson Dawn, along with Hux’s memories of the facility’s layout. He’d actually been able to draw out a fairly detailed map, and had helped them determine the best point of entry. 

If someone had told Rose five months ago that she’d be relying on General Armitage Hux’s memory to help her and her friends successfully execute a top-secret, unauthorized mission, she wouldn’t have believed them. However, she realized that she did trust Hux completely, and she had no doubt he was on their side. She believed he wouldn’t lead them astray, and had even stuck up for Hux multiple times when Poe expressed doubts. 

In order to make it to the planet’s surface without being detected, Chewie and Poe would attempt to pull off the same daring landing that had allowed Chewie and Han to land on Starkiller Base years ago. They’d jump out of hyperspace incredibly close to the planet’s surface, and then park the ship somewhere in the dense jungle surrounding the base. 

Chewie would remain with the _Falcon_ , so he could keep the ship ready for take-off in case they had to leave in a hurry (Rose assumed they probably would). Wearing protective suits and respirators that would enable them to breathe despite Wyxr’s toxic atmosphere, Rey, Rose, Finn, Jannah, Hux, and Poe would break into the facility, with BB-8 accompanying them. 

They’d divide into two groups, so they could quickly search the two locations in the facility that Hux said would be ideal for holding prisoners. Their goal was to draw as little attention as possible, but they’d all have blasters (and Rey and Finn would have lightsabers) in case things went wrong. 

There’d been some argument over whether they should keep their blasters set to stun or not, but Rose had passionately argued for “stun only.” She still firmly believed the best way to win a war was “not fighting what we hate, but saving what we love.” They had to show Shatterpoint that they were better, and that violence did not have to be used to solve conflicts. 

Rose would be going in a group with Hux and Rey, while Finn would lead a group consisting of Jannah, Poe, and BB-8. Even though the Force-cancelling shard would likely be in effect, they’d thought it was wisest to split up the Jedi, so they could have a Force user in each party just in case. 

Chewie’s rumbling voice came over the ship’s comm system, warning them to brace themselves for what was going to be a guaranteed rough landing. Rose grabbed her helmet and fastened it onto her protective suit, taking in another deep breath to test whether the oxygen was flowing. At this point, they’d done everything they possibly could to prepare themselves, and now they just had to trust the Force and allow events to play out.

“It’s go time!” Poe yelled over the comm system, and the _Falcon_ jumped out of hyperspace so fast that Rose almost fell out of her seat and crashed to the floor. 

However, two arms were there to catch her, and she felt Hux pulling her upright, preventing her from injuring herself. 

The _Falcon_ descended rapidly, maintaining a low altitude so the ship wouldn’t be detected by Shatterpoint’s scanners. As the _Falcon_ crashed through the trees on the moonlit planet, Rose found herself squeezing Hux’s hand, and he squeezed back. They stared at each other through the protective glass of their helmets, and they kept holding hands until the _Falcon_ slammed into the ground, coming to an abrupt stop. 


	14. Lost and Found

Rey and her friends maintained complete comm silence as they ran through the dense jungle surrounding the old First Order research facility on Wyxr. 

The comm systems in their helmets were technically supposed to be locked on a secure channel, but Jannah advised everyone to contact each other only if necessary, just in case Shatterpoint had some way to listen to their comm traffic. Besides, at this point, there wasn’t much to talk about anyway; as Poe had stated, they’d gone over the plan at least 15 times before landing. They all knew the plan by heart, and it would either work...or it wouldn’t.

Jannah had warned them they might experience a little claustrophobia while running in a heavy suit and protective helmet (it was common for new stormtroopers), so she encouraged them to focus on taking deep, slow breaths. However, right now Rey found she wasn’t feeling any fear at all — just determination. If all went well, in less than an hour she’d be seeing her soulmate again. 

She’d lost touch with the Force the second they’d broken through Wyxr’s atmosphere, but she’d been expecting that, and so it hadn’t caused her much concern. At least now she had some kind of idea what the range of the Force-cancelling shard was. Her twins were suddenly a little restless, likely because they couldn’t sense their mother through the Force, as they were accustomed to. That just made her more determined to get Ben as quickly as possible, and then get out of this horrible place. 

Hux had been correct when he’d said that Wyxr looked deceptively like a paradise. Tall trees with lush green leaves towered over Rey’s head, covered with flowering vines in vibrant shades of purple and orange. You would have no idea that if you pulled off your helmet on this beautiful world, the atmosphere was so toxic that it would immediately start choking you and burning your skin.

The helmet’s sound system allowed Rey to listen to outside noises, and for the most part the jungle was completely silent, which was more than a little unnerving. There weren’t even any insects buzzing. However, that was actually a good thing, because no sound meant the planet’s deadly predators were nowhere near them right now. Thankfully, Wyxr’s three moons provided plenty of light to guide their way, even with the thick foliage overhead. 

Jannah motioned for them to slow their pace as they neared the research facility, and when they peered out through a break in the trees, they could see a long stretch of pristine white sand leading to an inky black ocean. The ground rose slightly to a cliff overlooking the ocean, and atop this outcropping sat the First Order research facility. 

The facility had already fallen into disrepair in the year it had sat empty, and Rey could see no lights inside the building. She might have worried that maybe Poe’s lead was wrong and Shatterpoint had already left, but she couldn’t afford to think that right now. Ben was here — he _had_ to be. 

Even though Rey couldn’t sense the Force right now, it seemed to know that she needed some kind of affirmative sign, and she spotted the faintest flash of movement near the base — a being in a gray hazmat suit, carrying a gun. 

Jannah must have spotted it too, because she nodded to Rey and then motioned for them to move in. 

Rey and her friends ran along the beach, staying in the shadows of the trees as much as possible. The Shatterpoint base loomed closer and closer, and Rey could clearly see the door Hux had marked as their ideal point of entry. 

Her eagerness caused her to unconsciously pick up her pace, but before Jannah could caution her to slow down, Poe’s sudden, loud cursing made her stop in her tracks. 

“What the hell? Get this damn thing off me!”

She turned around and saw that a giant snake was wrapping itself around Poe’s legs, its fangs bared. The snake was bright pink — its color so dazzling it almost glowed in the dark — and Rey could see the poison dripping from the creature’s fangs. 

Finn fired his blaster, stunning the serpent before it could strike, and the creature immediately went limp, loosening its grip on Poe’s leg. 

Rey could tell that Poe wanted to keep cursing, but Jannah shot him a fierce glare and held a finger up, warning him to stay quiet. They all remained absolutely still for what seemed like an eternity, as they waited to see if the commotion would bring Shatterpoint operatives or more predators from the jungle (Rey wasn’t sure which would be worse).

Finally, Jannah signaled that they were in the clear, and they sprinted across the distance remaining between them and the research facility. 

There was only one Shatterpoint operative standing guard outside the nondescript building (the same figure in the hazmat suit Rey had spotted earlier), and Poe stunned the guard quickly and quietly. Now came their first real obstacle: hacking into the building’s security system and successfully opening the door.

Thankfully, the code the Crimson Dawn double agent provided them worked perfectly, and the door immediately slid open. Finn dragged the stunned guard inside the building, so the guard wouldn’t be attacked by predators while unconscious, and then they all quietly split into their preassigned groups and took off in separate directions. 

Rey’s heart was pounding so hard, in anticipation of finally seeing Ben, that she found herself feeling a little lightheaded. The twins grew even more restless, sensing their mother’s excitement and distress. 

_Stay calm and stay focused,_ Rey commanded herself, trying to narrow down her thoughts until she was only thinking about putting one foot in front of the other. 

She gripped her lightsaber a little tighter as Hux led her and Rose through the facility, guiding them efficiently through the seemingly endless dark hallways with metal walls. Thankfully, they were able to avoid any further encounters with Shatterpoint operatives. It appeared that most everyone in the facility was asleep, and Shatterpoint had minimal guards on duty — a poorly chosen strategy on their part, but excellent news for Rey and her friends. 

They arrived at a sealed door at the end of a long hallway on the far side of the research facility, and after checking that the atmosphere inside the building was safe to breathe, Hux carefully removed his helmet.

“All right, this should be it,” he whispered so quietly that Rey and Rose had to lean in to hear him, their foreheads almost touching. “The Crimson Dawn agent didn’t have a code for this door, but I have an old First Order override code that may work. If not, we might have to blow the door open, which will also completely blow our cover.”

“Then let’s hope this works,” Rey said grimly. 

Hux turned towards the keypad next to the door and took a deep breath, his fingers hovering over the buttons. He quickly punched in a rapid series of numbers, and then he stood back and waited. 

For a moment, Rey feared that the door wouldn’t open, and that they’d have to take more extreme measures. But then the door opened with a whoosh, and Rey darted inside the room, raising her lightsaber just in case she encountered resistance.

However, as it turned out, she didn’t need to worry. The room was quiet, dark, and empty, except for a figure sleeping on a cot that was just a little too small for him. 

Rey held her hand to her heart and tried not to burst into tears of joy. She’d know those broad shoulders — and perfect waves of black hair — anywhere. 

“Ben!” she exclaimed a little louder than she should have, unable to help herself. 

Ben startled awake and then sat up, his deep brown eyes staring at her in shock and disbelief, which then quickly turned to joy. 

Rey had found him at last.

***

_Half an hour earlier..._

Ben lay on his back in the darkness, staring up at the ceiling because he couldn’t sleep. 

This cold, sterile research room had been his home for the past week, but this would probably be his last night here, judging by Shatterpoint’s habit of shifting its base of operations about once a week. The cot he’d been given was more than a little uncomfortable, but at least he had a blanket. Although he knew eventually he’d get so exhausted that he’d drift off to sleep, he wasn’t looking forward to the unsettling dreams that had been haunting him the past five months. 

This actually wasn’t the worst period of Ben’s life — that honor was reserved for the year between the Battle of Crait and the Battle of Exegol — when he’d attempted to rule the galaxy as supreme leader of the First Order. He’d felt so angry and lonely, desperately missing Rey but afraid that he’d lost her forever due to his own stubbornness and stupidity. 

As bad as it was living as Shatterpoint’s captive, at least now he had Rey’s love to sustain him. Though he couldn’t feel their dyad bond through the Force, she was constantly in his thoughts. Their baby would be about five months along now, and he hated that he couldn’t be with Rey during this time. He couldn’t bear to think about the fact that he might still be a captive when the baby was born. 

Shatterpoint hadn’t treated him cruelly in the months he’d been held hostage, but he didn’t feel any real gratitude towards them for that. His first month, they had run him through lots of tests, trying to determine what the range of the Force-cancelling shard from the Mirror of Balance was. It seemed capable of covering about half a planet, and it was marginally less effective in space, for reasons Shatterpoint’s scientists had yet to understand. 

He’d also been used, unwillingly, as a sort of propaganda mascot for Shatterpoint, and they featured him in most of the unauthorized broadcasts they transmitted to the galaxy. Unfortunately, these broadcasts seemed to be quite effective; people _were_ terrified that a small shard of glass actually could control a Jedi and the former supreme leader of the First Order. 

Now that Shatterpoint had completed all their tests and gotten the video footage they needed of him, Ben’s days had grown incredibly long and boring. At first Za’ra had stopped by to talk to him every day, under the pretense that she was fishing for more information for Shatterpoint, but Ben suspected she was just feeling guilty about how he was being held captive, and she wanted to try to make up for that. 

However, he didn’t really have much interest in talking to his captor. He’d spent too much of his life being a prisoner — first to Snoke, and then to Palpatine, and now this. At least his mind was free this time; Shatterpoint could stop him from using the Force, but they couldn’t invade his mind like Snoke and Palpatine had. 

Ben turned over on his side, trying, unsuccessfully, to get more comfortable. He shut his eyes and pictured Rey, remembering what it was like to hold her in his arms. Her absence was a wound in his soul, and he felt the angry frustration coiling inside him. If he let it fester, it would turn to resentment, and then to hate... 

_No._

He shoved those thoughts away. The dark side had seduced him once, and he would not be fooled again. He refused to hate Shatterpoint, as much as he wanted to. At least they’d let Rey go; he was incredibly grateful for that. Hopefully she and their baby were healthy; he’d focus on them, and his belief that one day the three of them would be together again. He’d make sure of it…

Ben finally dozed off and fell into a surprisingly deep sleep — so deep, in fact, that when he heard Rey’s voice calling “Ben!” he thought he was still dreaming. Dazed, he sat up and turned towards the voice, and then he felt as though the floor had fallen out from underneath him. 

There she was — wearing a protective suit and holding a helmet in her hands, a wonderful look of joy and relief on her face. He’d imagined so many times what it would be like to finally reunite with her again, and he was afraid to reach out and touch her, in case this was some kind of vision or trick. 

But no — the warmth in her hazel eyes was most definitely real. And the protective suit was just form-fitting enough that he could see her growing baby bump. 

“Rey.” 

He said her name with all the ache and longing that had been building up inside of him these past few months. He couldn’t believe she was here, and that she really was pregnant, and—

Rey couldn’t wait anymore, and she flung herself into his arms, almost knocking him over. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly, burying his face in her hair. 

“Stars, I missed you,” he breathed, and Rey stepped back just enough so that she could look up into his eyes. 

“I love you,” he said, and her face lit up with a smile that made his heart want to explode with happiness. 

“We don’t have much time, but I couldn’t wait to tell you — we’ve having twins,” Rey said, placing a hand on her stomach. “Two girls. They’re both healthy and strong, and they can’t wait to meet their father.”

“Twins?” Ben found himself grinning, despite the danger they were most definitely still in. Rey was right — they shouldn’t linger — but he just wanted to take a moment to bask in this news. He was going to be a father of twins! 

Of course, with this news came a small pang of sadness as he thought of his parents, who weren’t here to share this moment. He hoped they’d be proud of how hard he’d worked to turn his life around in the past year, and how desperately he wanted his daughters to have the best life possible. He vowed not to repeat the mistakes the Skywalker family — including himself — had committed in the past. 

“This is all very touching, but we really do have to go!” Hux hissed, the former First Order general’s voice breaking the spell. Ben wanted to be annoyed, but Hux was smart to be hurrying them along (though Ben chose not to admit that to him). 

Ben looked over and saw that Rose was here too, standing guard at the door. Her expression was growing more and more concerned as she fiddled with her comlink. 

“I can’t get ahold of the others,” she exclaimed. “I wanted to tell them we had Ben, and to rendezvous back at the ship, but all I hear is static.”

“Maybe Jannah told them to go offline for some reason,” Hux said. “Or maybe they’re already heading back to the _Falcon_ , after discovering a dead end.” Technically, that was possible, but no one seemed to take comfort in that explanation. 

“Here, let’s get you suited up,” Rose said, pulling out a spare protective suit and helmet from Hux’s pack and handing them to Ben. Like the cot, the suit was a bit small for him, but now was not the time to complain. It covered everything it needed to, and would save him from the chemical burns caused by Wyxr’s atmosphere. 

“Also, I’m sure you’ve already gathered this, but this place is literally a hellhole,” Hux said. “So when we go outside, watch for giant poisonous serpents. Really, just stun anything that moves.”

“Watch for _what_?” Ben asked, but Hux was already distracted, turning back to Rose, who had frozen in what appeared to be dismay. 

It was then that Ben heard the faint but unmistakable sound of boots pounding on metal floors, and his heart sank. _Shatterpoint was coming…_

Hux swore. “Does this room have another exit?” he asked, frantically glancing around, but Ben shook his head. 

“Then we’re trapped!” Hux exclaimed. “Unless we can successfully fight our way through the sizable welcoming committee heading down the hallway.”

Rey’s expression darkened, and she looked deadly serious — more serious than Ben had ever seen her. 

“We’ll fight our way out then,” she said solemnly. “I’m done with Shatterpoint controlling me and the people I care about.”

“Intruder alert!” one of the Shatterpoint operatives shouted from the hallway, and whirling around, Rey ignited her yellow saber and prepared to face them.

***

Rey had allowed herself to be lulled into a false sense of security. 

She’d hoped that the most difficult part of this mission was behind them. They’d found Ben, he was safe and healthy, and she’d assumed they could sneak out of the Shatterpoint base as easily as they had sneaked in.

She wasn’t sure what they’d done to just now catch Shatterpoint’s attention; she desperately hoped that Finn and his team weren’t already in custody, having triggered some sort of alarm. The only thing she did know was that she _would_ make sure that Ben and her friends ALL got out of this facility safely. And she would do whatever she had to in order to make that happen. 

Rose and Hux were already firing into the hallway, momentarily halting the advance of the Shatterpoint guards. Rey wasn’t sure how many guards had been sent to capture them, but judging by the pounding footsteps, it wasn’t a small group. 

Although Rey knew Ben had said this room didn’t have another exit, she shut her eyes and envisioned the map Hux had drawn of the facility. If she remembered correctly, this room was on the outer perimeter of the base. Beyond the wall was the jungle of Wyxr. 

“Everyone put on your helmets!” Rey shouted, sprinting towards the wall with her lightsaber. “If this room doesn’t have another exit, we’ll just have to make one.”

Hux and Rose looked confused, but Ben immediately understood what she wanted to do. He nodded at her and ignited his saber (which Rey had brought for him), and together they plunged their weapons into the wall. 

The wall was constructed of thick, reinforced metal, but fortunately for them, it wasn’t entirely lightsaber proof. Slowly, Ben and Rey started carving a hole in the wall that would allow them to escape.

The metal around their lightsabers grew molten and sparks flew as they worked. The muscles in Rey’s arms were already beginning to ache, but she forced herself to ignore the pain, and fought against the friction generated by the heavy metal wall.

She heard the firefight taking place in the hallway outside the room, and she could tell that the Shatterpoint guards were gaining ground. 

Her frustration growing, she plunged her lightsaber even deeper into the wall, pushing the blade as hard as she could. 

_Blast — this just isn’t working fast enough!_ she thought, reminded — yet again — of how much of a disadvantage she was at by not being able to access the Force.

Hux suddenly swore, and Rey turned around and saw him stagger back slightly, clutching his arm with a grimace on his face. He’d been shot, and though the injury didn’t appear serious, it made Rey realize that Shatterpoint wasn’t using stun bolts. 

Shatterpoint knew that Rey’s friends were firing with stun bolts only, trying not to permanently hurt anyone. But apparently, their enemies were aiming to kill. 

Rey had danced on the edge of the dark side before; she knew what that seductive darkness felt like, and how the gifts it offered came at a terrible price. But she couldn’t feel the light OR the dark side of the Force right now; all she could feel was her anger. And that angry determination seemed to be the only tool she had left. 

She descended deeply into that anger, allowing it to give her a fresh burst of energy as she carved into the wall. Before, she and Ben had been working at the same rate, but now she actually started to outpace him. She found her anger gave her renewed strength, and she almost didn’t even feel the pain in her arms anymore. 

“Hurry — they’ve got a grenade!” Rose called out, trying to fire into the hallway and bandage Hux’s arm at the same time. Rey could hear the terror in her friend’s voice, and the fact Shatterpoint was making her friend so afraid made Rey even angrier. 

Rey had been straining so hard that her arms now felt like they were on fire, but she didn’t care. With a guttural cry, she pushed through the remaining space between her and Ben’s sabers, and they finally completed their loop. 

“Get ready!” she cried, taking a step back and then body-slammed into the wall. 

The oval they’d carved into the wall broke free and fell to the ground with a loud bang. Warning alarms immediately started blaring, indicating that there had been a breach and now the planet’s toxic atmosphere was flowing into the facility. 

Rose and Hux darted towards the newly-created exit, and the door to the room sealed behind them. Apparently it was a safety measure to prevent the toxic atmosphere from spreading; to Rey, it just meant that it would be even harder for Shatterpoint to follow them into the jungle. 

“Finn — please come in!” Rose cried into her helmet’s communication system as they ran; there was really no point in maintaining comm silence now that Shatterpoint knew they were here. “Finn, can you hear me? Finn, please answer and let us know if—”

Rose was cut off by a loud burst of static, and then they heard Jannah’s garbled voice. 

“We didn’t find Ben, and since we couldn’t reach you, we’ve been waiting on the beach, debating whether or not we should go back in. Where are you?”

“Head to the _Falcon_ — now!” Rose shouted. “We’ll meet you there! We’ve got Ben, and a whole bunch of Shatterpoint operatives on our tail!”


	15. The Price of Revenge

Rose ran faster than she had ever run before, and she felt like her feet were barely even touching the ground as they fled through the jungle of Wyxr. 

Rey cut a path through the thick foliage with her lightsaber, and while Rose was trying to keep an eye out for predators (like the snake that had nearly bit Poe on the beach), it was hard to focus on potential dangers ahead of them when she couldn’t stop thinking about the threat behind them. 

It would take a while for the Shatterpoint operatives to suit up and pursue them, but Rose wasn’t about to take her and her friend’s narrow lead for granted. They wouldn’t be safe until they made it back to the _Falcon_ — and maybe not even then, if Shatterpoint was already launching ships to attack them when they attempted to leave the planet. 

As they ran, Rose kept glancing over at Hux to make sure he was all right. She’d bandaged his arm as best she could with the emergency supply pack she had on hand, and while he was keeping pace with the group, she could tell by the expression on his face that he was still in a considerable amount of pain. 

At one point, Hux had actually urged them to keep running and save themselves if he fell behind, but Rose had informed him there was no way in hell they were going to just abandon him. He’d looked so surprised and relieved when she’d said that, and she realized that most likely, nobody had ever cared about him that much before. Well, she’d meant it — if Hux fell behind, then she’d just stay behind to protect him. 

“We’re almost there!” Rey called out, slicing through a tangle of vines blocking their path and revealing the _Falcon_ up ahead. Rose had never been more grateful to see the trusty ship. 

Their timing appeared to be perfect, because as they arrived, Finn, Jannah, and Poe were just charging up the landing ramp. Poe was carrying BB-8 in his arms, and it looked like the droid had been damaged. 

“Some stupid, giant seed pod with a shell as hard as a rock fell on top of him and cracked his motion sensor,” Poe explained about BB-8 as he saw Rose’s look of concern. “I promised I’d fix him up as soon as we got back to the _Falcon_.” He shook his head. “Damn, I can’t wait to get off this terrible planet.”

Rose was inclined to agree. 

Rey and Ben sprinted up the landing ramp, and Rose could hear Poe clapping Ben on the back and Finn’s excited shout of, “Ben! So good to see you, buddy!” 

Hux stumbled on a root near the landing ramp, but Rose grabbed him by his arm (the uninjured one), and helped him into the _Falcon_. The look of gratitude in his eyes filled Rose with a fluttering warmth in her chest that she couldn’t quite explain.

“Chewie, we’ve got Ben — let’s get this ship in the air!” Poe shouted in the direction of the cockpit, and Chewie replied with an excited roar. 

They’d all barely managed to sit down before Chewie lifted the _Falcon_ off the ground, and Rose prayed to the Force that their good luck would hold out just a little bit longer. 

There was no point attempting to be stealthy now that their cover was blown, and so Chewie rocketed up into the atmosphere, hoping to be faster than whoever might be pursuing them. 

Rose saw both Rey and Ben suck in a sharp breath as the _Falcon_ broke through the upper atmosphere of Wyxr; they were now far enough away from the Mirror of Balance shard that they could actually feel the Force again. She realized it had been five months since Ben had fully felt the Force, and she saw him close his eyes and breathe deeply, as if he’d been drowning and had just taken in his first gulp of life-saving air. 

“Um, it looks like we’ve got company!” Poe called from the cockpit, where he was serving as copilot, and without question Rey darted to her feet, running for the gunner bay. 

“Wait, Rey,” Rose said, reaching out to her friend. “What about our promise to use non-violence—”

“Shatterpoint obviously doesn’t share that same commitment, and I refuse to let them hurt my friends,” Rey said coldly. “They aren’t going to bring the _Falcon_ down.”

Thankfully, Shatterpoint’s now-infamous stolen star destroyer was out of range, but they’d managed to scramble some smaller starfighters to send after the _Falcon_. A couple X-wings and TIE fighters, along with one very run-down Y-wing, were now in hot pursuit. 

They fired on the _Falcon_ , but Rey fired right back, sending out a salvo of laser blasts as fast as she could. Apparently, Shatterpoint had been taking for granted that Rose and her friends weren’t using lethal firepower, and as soon as Rey started firing, they scattered. 

“Chewie — jump to hyperspace now!” Poe yelled, and soon the stars outside the ship turned into blurring streaks of white as the _Falcon_ escaped. 

It took an agonizingly long time for Rose’s heart to stop pounding, and to convince herself that they really had made it. Finn eventually laughed nervously, remarking, “Well, that was close,” and Ben let out a huge sigh of relief. Jannah would probably recommend a mission debriefing later, so they could discuss what the fallout of their actions today might be for the galaxy at large, but they were all too exhausted for that now. 

Chewie bounded out of the cockpit and picked up Ben in a huge, enthusiastic hug, and then they let Ben go and find Rey, recognizing the two of them would probably want some privacy. Poe got to work on repairing BB-8, and Jannah and Finn started cleaning and repacking all their gear. 

Although Hux tried to protest, claiming that his arm was feeling “much better now,” Rose insisted on taking a second look at his wound. She grabbed a med pack and ordered him to sit down at the dejarik table as she examined his arm. 

They sat so close their knees were touching, and their shoulders brushed together as she worked. It felt strange but...good to be so close to Hux. She never would have imagined that she’d ever want to be this close to the former general of the First Order, but over the past five months, she’d come to realize that man was now gone. The Hux who tried to obliterate the Resistance was not the same Hux she was bandaging now — the surprisingly compassionate Hux who had just risked his life to help his former enemies. 

Hux winced as she sterilized his wound, but he did not offer one word of complaint. He sighed happily as she injected a mild painkiller into the site, and then she carefully bandaged the wound with clean gauze. 

Right before she secured the bandage and withdrew her hand, Hux turned towards her and placed his hand over hers. 

“Thank you,” he said softly. “For helping me when I got shot, and for saying that you wouldn’t leave me behind. I...I’ve never had someone I could rely on like that before.”

Rose squeezed his hand back, finding that she very much liked the feeling of their fingers lacing together. 

“That’s who we are — what the Resistance always stood for. Every person matters, and we never leave a soldier behind.”

“I can see that now,” Hux said, nodding at her. “I’m truly sorry, Rose, for everything I did while…” He stopped, the recollection of his past bringing him pain, and his words seemed to catch in his throat. However, Rose found she didn’t even need him to finish; with his apology came a soothing rush of healing, as she realized they’d both let go of Hux’s past. 

“You don’t have to finish,” Rose said, holding a finger to his lips. “I know what you want to say. And I forgive you.”

Hux stared into her eyes with such intensity, that she felt her heart skip a beat. She felt the electricity spark between them, and then her heart started to pound as they slowly leaned towards each other, drawn together by a sudden magnetism. 

“Rose,” Hux said, his voice husky, and her heart fluttered again when he said her name. “May I—”

“Hey Rose, can you help me with this for a moment?”

Rose and Hux both jumped at the sudden interruption, as Poe materialized holding a box of tools in his hand. He gazed at them quizzically, as if not quite understanding what was going on. 

“With BB-8’s repairs?” Rose said. “Uh...sure.” She reluctantly stood up, her face still flushed. She and Hux must really be cursed — they were doomed to never be able to finish a deep conversation. 

As she followed Poe, she tried to take deep, calming breaths, and put the moment between her and Hux from her mind. She’d almost thought that...that Hux might kiss her, but it was more than likely she had misinterpreted his intentions. Also, she still wasn’t sure she was ready to risk her heart like that. Best to keep her focus on the mission for now. 

***

As soon as the door to the private bedroom on the _Falcon_ slid closed, Ben collapsed on the bed, all the energy draining out of him. 

He was safe — finally, truly safe — but after being in captivity for five months, his mind was having a hard time believing that he really was heading home, and that Shatterpoint couldn’t hurt him anymore. 

Rey curled up on the bed beside him, and for a long time they just held each other and stared into each other’s eyes. They didn’t even need words to communicate right now. It was so wonderful to feel their dyad bond through the Force again, to sense their souls intertwining, communing with each other and helping him to feel grounded and whole again. 

Rey gently took his hand and guided it to her stomach, and he reached out through the Force, feeling the presence of their twin daughters for the first time. They were two sparks of fire, forces of nature as much as their mother was. And they sensed him too, unsure at first of this new Force presence but eventually recognizing it as the other half of the dyad bond they had already sensed in their mother. 

“Rey, I…” He wanted to say something to her, to communicate how much this moment meant to him, but his throat felt too raw to speak. He swallowed, feeling the tears glistening in his eyes. He was almost reluctant to allow himself to feel this wonderfully, completely happy, for fear that it could be snatched away from him. He didn’t deserve any of this — not Rey’s love, not this gift of twin daughters — but he sure as hell wasn’t taking it for granted. 

Sensing his thoughts, Rey raised an eyebrow and gave him a look of mock disapproval. “Ben Solo-Organa, don’t you dare start thinking you don’t deserve this moment. Because you do deserve it. Just let yourself be happy.”

He took her face in his hands, brushing away a strand of hair that had fallen across her face. “All right, then — I’ll try,” he winked, attempting to do what she said and just enjoy the moment. “Thank you for saving me, and for never giving up on me.”

“I pulled you out of the World Between Worlds after you died — this rescue was much easier than that,” Rey smiled. “I’ll never give up on you, Ben, and I will always, always come for you. I hope Shatterpoint understands that now.”

There was a flicker of darkness in her voice as she said that — just the faintest hint, and then it was gone. But Ben still felt a strange queasiness in his stomach, as he did now whenever he felt the dark side. 

He’d known Rey was angry when she was using her lightsaber to carve a hole in the wall back at the Shatterpoint base, and later when she’d fired on the Shatterpoint ships, but he hadn’t really thought much about it. There hadn’t been time. Anger was, of course, a natural emotion, but he knew all too well the dangers of letting it spiral out of control. 

It was so, so easy to be sucked into that dark pit of rage and hatred, and in Rey’s eyes he could indeed see a burning rage and hatred for Shatterpoint. He knew that if they ever hurt him again, there would be no force in the universe that could stop Rey’s revenge. 

He wondered if he should say something to her, but now didn’t seem like the right time. 

_Just let yourself be happy…_

He replayed her words in his mind, over and over and over, and tried to let go of everything else. Right now he just wanted to make her as happy as she made him, and let the troubles of the galaxy melt away. 

He kissed her — gently at first, and then with increasing hunger as he remembered just how long it had been since they’d shared this kind of intimacy. They lost themselves completely in each other, and though the world was a raging mess outside, together they made this small moment perfect. 

***

Rey’s relief at seeing the planet of Ahch-To as they jumped out of hyperspace was sadly short-lived. She’d barely caught her first glimpse of the familiar rocky island and endless ocean waters when her connection to the Force abruptly winked out. 

Ben and Finn felt it the same time she did. This was only Finn’s second time to be cut off from the Force like this, and he nearly dropped to his knees, clutching at his chest. He looked like someone had grabbed his heart and just ripped it out, which is exactly how Rey had felt when she first encountered the Mirror of Balance.

_Shatterpoint was here, and they’d brought that cursed shard with them..._

Rose saw what was happening, and quickly guessed what was going on. 

“We need to get out of here!” she cried, just as they all spotted Shatterpoint’s star destroyer looming on the horizon. 

With a roar of frustration, Chewie whipped the ship around and headed back for the safety of space, but not before Rey caught sight of a thick plume of smoke snaking up into the sky. 

Her heart shattered as she realized what was happening — their Jedi academy was burning. 

A roaring blaze consumed the empty dining hall they’d worked so hard to build, and as the beams holding up the structure collapsed, Rey felt all her dreams crumbling to the ground. 

She’d assumed that Shatterpoint would find a way to retaliate for Ben’s rescue, but not something as cruel as this. Was this Za’ra’s idea? Had she led the rest of her Shatterpoint “friends” to Ahch-To, knowing this was where Rey would go first?

Rey couldn’t stop the angry tears streaming down her face, and she clenched her fists as she was forced to watch, completely helpless, as the _Falcon_ jumped back into hyperspace and left their home behind. If they ever got to go back, Rey didn’t know how much of that “home” would even be left.

Without saying a word, Ben stepped beside her and slid his arm around her, holding her tightly. Rose and Hux comforted Finn as he grieved, repeating over and over how he just couldn’t believe Shatterpoint would take it this far, destroying a peaceful place of learning for children. 

Rey decided then that she was done showing mercy to Shatterpoint. First they had taken the Force from her, then Ben, and now her home too. Thank the Force she and Finn had sent all the students away before this; she couldn’t bear to think about what might have happened if the children had been on Ahch-To with Lando, 3PO, and R2 when Shatterpoint showed up. 

Rey wasn’t sure how she would make Shatterpoint pay for this, but she would. If the Galactic Alliance couldn’t stop them, she’d just find some other way. 

And she was going to make sure it hurt. 

***

Hours later, everyone gathered in the war council room of the abandoned Resistance base on Qwan’dar. They’d decided this was the safest place to hide out for now, since Shatterpoint had decided to destroy the Jedi academy on Ahch-To. 

Of course Ben was angry about that — how could he not be? The one place in this galaxy that felt safe — that felt like home — was now gone. 

But mostly all he felt right now was a hollow weariness, as he thought of the challenges ahead of them. He didn’t want to fight another war, to face down the darkness again. They’d beaten Palpatine; why couldn’t that be enough for one lifetime?

The war council room was empty except for a round table and chairs carved from the same rock as the cave surrounding them. Jannah had volunteered to be the one to deliver the news about their mission to the Galactic Alliance, and she’d left as soon as they touched down, not wanting to waste any time. 

Poe probably should have gone back to the Galactic Alliance too, but he’d switched off his comlink and was ignoring all calls. He knew he’d be in a lot of trouble when he went back, but he’d declared that didn’t matter. He wasn’t leaving his friends. 

“Well, what the hell do we do now?” Poe asked as they all took seats around the table, staring at each other numbly. 

“The Galactic Alliance is probably going to be really angry about our unauthorized rescue mission,” Finn said. “But, they’ll also be really angry about Shatterpoint burning an island on Ahch-To, which is supposed to be a protected holy site. None of us like it, but we’re probably headed for full-out war.”

“We have to stop them as quickly as possible,” Rey said. “Before they can do anymore damage.”

As she spoke, Ben heard it again — that hard edge to her voice, the whisper of darkness simmering inside her. 

“But how?” Poe said, running a hand through his already messy hair, his voice communicating the full extent of his exasperation. “With that damn shard, Shatterpoint feels invincible.”

“I know someone who might be able to help,” Hux said quietly, and everyone turned to look at him. 

“I’m getting an incoming transmission from Crimson Dawn,” he said. “Naturally, they’re as concerned about Shatterpoint as we are. The Galactic Alliance rejected the advice they just offered, so they want to pass it on to us instead.”

“Well, let’s hear it,” Poe said, and Hux pulled out his hologram transmitter and placed it on the table, switching it on. A hazy blue image of a well-dressed woman appeared, and Ben realized it was the leader of Crimson Dawn herself. 

_Qi’ra._

“I have to say I’m impressed with your successful mission on Wyxr,” Qi’ra said. She was smiling, but Ben noticed the smile didn’t reach her eyes. “There are so many ways that could have gone completely wrong, but you managed to pull it off.”

“They burned Ahch-To,” Finn said, his voice cracking, and Qi’ra’s smile completely disappeared. 

“I know. And now that they’ve crossed that line, I don’t think they’re going to stop. They’ll keep making compromise after compromise, until they’re just as bad as the Empire or the First Order.”

“So what do we do?” Poe said. “I assume you have some idea you think will actually work, even though the Galactic Alliance didn’t appreciate your suggestion.”

“Thanks to the shard from the Mirror of Balance, Shatterpoint thinks it’s unbeatable; you have to find a way to make them feel vulnerable again,” Qi’ra said bluntly. “Someone has to destroy that shard.”

“I know you’re smart enough to know that shard is very hard to get to, since all our Jedi are out of commission,” Poe said. “So I’m guessing you’ve got a way around that?”

Qi’ra nodded. “You can’t rely on the Force to destroy the shard. But there are...other powers in the galaxy. You’ve read the legend about the Mirror of Balance, so you know it was forged by dark blood magic, outside the traditions of the Jedi or the Sith. 

“I don’t know much about that ancient magic, but in my time in Crimson Dawn, through my work with…” She hesitated for just a second. “Darth Maul, I learned about the Nightsisters of Dathomir, and the powers they wield. They may be able to give you the magic you need to destroy the shard.”

Of course Ben had heard of the Nightsisters of Dathomir and their unique ways of accessing the Force. Both the Jedi and Sith had feared them, as beings often feared what they didn’t understand. 

“Wait a minute...you want us to use the same kind of dark power that forged the shard in the first place?” Finn asked incredulously, and Chewie also rumbled his concern. “I really don’t think we want to mess around with that kind of power.”

“I had a feeling you might say that,” Qi’ra said. “Though I appreciate you taking my suggestion seriously; some in the Galactic Alliance thought the Nightsisters were just a ‘scary bedtime story.’ I know as Jedi, you’re hesitant to tap into the ‘dark side’ but you might not have another choice. You’re going to have to decide which is worse: compromising your principles or allowing Shatterpoint to tear apart the progress the galaxy has made after the fall of the First Order.”

Having said what she’d come to say, Qi’ra ended the transmission, and her hologram winked out, leaving them all staring at each other once again. 

“Well, I think you can guess how I feel,” Finn said solemnly. “Look, I know I’m new to using the Force, and I don’t know much about the dark side. But I think that using dark magic to destroy the shard is a really, really bad idea. What if it goes wrong, and we end up creating something even worse?”

Chewie nodded his agreement. _“I’m not a Force user, but I’ve seen enough of the dark side. It can’t help us.”_

“I don’t disagree with anything you said...but like Qi’ra told us, we may not have another choice.” Poe sighed and threw up his hands in the air in a gesture of defeat. “It’s not like we’re trying to resurrect Palpatine here, or something like that. Maybe the Nightsisters aren’t as dangerous as the Sith.”

“Oh yeah, ‘dark blood magic’ — doesn’t sound dangerous at all,” Finn said sarcastically, but Rey was already shaking her head. 

“It is dangerous — but so is letting Shatterpoint run through the galaxy unchecked,” she said. “We’re running out of time and options; the Nightsisters may be all we have left.”

“Yeah, but that’s the thing about the dark side — it wants you to think it’s the only option you have.” Ben didn’t like disagreeing with Rey in public, but he had a really bad feeling about this plan to look for help on Dathomir. “Come on, we’re better than this; I mean, you all beat the First Order with a group of volunteers and a herd of orbaks charging across a starship, of all things! We can think of something creative.”

“Well Ben, feel free to go ahead and throw out another idea, because I’ve personally got nothing,” Poe shot back. “No matter how ‘creative’ we get, every plan we come up with is gonna fail if the shard is still in play.”

“I understand that going to Dathomir is a risk,” Rey said, looking directly at Ben as she said it. “That’s why I want to go alone. I know I can handle it.”

Ben’s sense of panic rose as he pictured Rey walking into that unknown situation, the dark side sucking her under and consuming the woman he loved. “Rey please — I know a thing or two about the dark side, and you don’t want to do this,” he begged, and Rey’s eyes flashed. 

“I’m not some fragile creature you have to protect,” she said, and Ben felt his own temper sparking. 

“That’s not what I meant — believe me, I know you can handle yourself. I’m just saying, any time I tried to use the dark side as a tool, it ended up using me instead. That’s what it’s always done to my family.”

“And you think because I’m a Palpatine, I’m even more at risk?” Rey’s voice broke. “Well, I wanted to tell you in a more private moment, but you might as well hear it now: Palpatine lied about being my grandfather. Za’ra told me the truth, about how my parents really did throw me away like garbage. I don’t have a dark side legacy; I don’t have _any_ legacy.”

Ben stared at Rey in shock, feeling like he’d just been slammed into by a speeder. Palpatine had lied about her heritage? Ben had taken that scheming pile of bantha fodder at his word, but of course he should have questioned any information he got from such a master manipulator. He couldn’t imagine what learning that had done to Rey, to have Palpatine continue to torture her even after he was gone. 

“I’m so sorry,” he said. “I know that has to hurt. But regardless of who your parents are — or aren’t — you matter, Rey. You don’t need a legacy, or the Nightsisters’ power. You are enough, on your own — just as you are.”

Rey wiped tears from her eyes, unable to speak. But underneath the table, she reached for his hand, and squeezed it. Ben couldn’t take away her pain right now, but he could pour his love for her into the Force. Back when he was still Kylo Ren, she’d been his candle in the darkness; now he could do that for her. 

“I think we’re all processing a lot right now,” Rose said gently, glancing around the table at all the solemn faces. “I know we don’t have time to waste right now, but we should probably take a while to consider our different options. Let’s all sleep on this, and then reconvene at first light. If we can’t all come to an agreement, we’ll vote on what to do.” 

“I don’t think anyone here is gonna change their mind overnight,” Poe muttered, but everyone consented to wait until morning. 

Slowly and dejectedly, everyone filed out of the room to try to get some sleep. Although Ben was exhausted, he was too wired to sleep right now, and he could tell Rey wasn’t done talking. She took hold of his hand again, and then they slipped away from the base and up to the surface of Qwan’dar, so they could presumably speak in private. 

However, as it turned out, Rey wasn’t ready to talk after all; she just needed someone to be with her, to hold her. And so they found an outcropping of rock in the red desert sands and stared up at the night sky, with its endless sea of twinkling stars. 

Ben waited for an idea to come, some hidden door that would suddenly materialize and provide an escape from this situation. But none ever did. Instead, they simply sat in silence, comforting each other, until they couldn’t stay awake anymore, walked back to base, and fell into a fitful sleep. 


	16. Dark Gifts

Rey waited until Ben had fallen asleep, holding him tight and savoring every single second she had with him. She’d missed this so much — just the simple joy and comfort that came from falling asleep together. No matter how messed up the galaxy was, being with Ben always felt “right.”

Once she heard his breathing slow and she was certain he was actually asleep, Rey quietly slipped out of bed, planting a gentle kiss on Ben’s forehead and running her fingers through his hair. She took out a slip of paper and wrote a quick note to Ben; there was so much more she wanted to say, but she knew she didn’t have much time. So she settled for telling him, once again, just how much she loved him, and explaining why she had to do this alone. 

She placed the note on the pillow next to him, where he would be sure to spot it as soon as he woke up. Then, she got dressed, grabbed her lightsaber, and crept out of the cave, trying not to wake anyone else. 

Although Rey knew her friends would be angry at her for sneaking out in the middle of the night, she couldn’t risk waiting to put her plan to a vote in the morning. Maybe they _would_ all come to an agreement that going to Dathomir was the right course of action, but then they wouldn’t want her to go alone. Rey simply couldn’t bear the thought of putting anyone else at risk, especially Ben. He’d been hurt by the dark side too much already; Rey would take on this risk for him. 

Rey’s friends might assume, based on her eagerness to go to Dathomir, that she didn’t fear the dark side. However, that wasn’t true at all. Rey was terrified — almost as terrified as she’d been to go to Exegol alone to face Palpatine. She didn’t know what the Nightsisters’ dark blood magic entailed, and there was a chance her experience on Dathomir would change her forever. 

But she had to go, because she just didn’t see any other way to destroy the shard. They couldn’t lose everything the Resistance had fought for, and she wouldn’t allow her daughters to be born into a galaxy that was worse than the one she’d grown up in. 

She’d done a lot of thinking about her parents in the past five months, about how they’d just abandoned her when life got too difficult. Rey wasn’t going to do that to her two little girls. She would face the darkness on Dathomir, come what may. She would do it for her daughters, for Ben, for her friends, and for every person in the galaxy who deserved to be free.

She decided to leave the _Falcon_ for her friends, in case they had to leave Qwan’dar in a hurry, so that meant she’d have to take Poe’s X-wing to Dathomir (he was NOT going to be happy about that). Hopefully they’d all forgive her in the end, and understand why she’d done this. 

She took one last look across the empty desert landscape of Qwan’dar, and at the night sky above, before she jumped into the cockpit, threw on a flight helmet, and took off into space.

***

Ben woke up feeling like he had a hangover. 

He rubbed his bleary eyes, and then turned over to ask Rey how she’d slept. Except, she wasn’t there. 

He wondered, briefly, if he’d overslept, and he feared that maybe they’d started the meeting without him. However, he really didn’t think they’d do that, and as the haze in his mind began to clear, he realized Rey’s Force presence felt faint and distant. Like she wasn’t even on Qwan’dar at all...

Growing more concerned, he sat up and looked around, and suddenly noticed the slip of paper sitting on his pillow. He had a terrible feeling as he picked up the paper and unfolded it, afraid that he already knew what it was going to say. 

_My dearest Ben,_ he read in Rey’s hasty penmanship, _I think you’ve probably guessed where I’ve gone, and why. It breaks my heart to leave you behind, but I can’t put you in danger. You’ve done enough to fight the dark side. I hope to be back soon, and to handle Shatterpoint for good. I love you so, so much, Ben — my life is better because we found each other. We’ll be together again soon, I promise, and everything will be all right again._

The letter slipped through Ben’s trembling fingers and fluttered to the floor, as he stared off numbly into the distance. 

She’d gone to Dathomir...and she’d gone without him. Because she was a brave, stubborn, selfless, wonderful person, and she hadn’t wanted to put anyone else at risk. Of course, his first instinct was to go after her anyway, but he had no idea when she left, and it might be too late. She might have already begun the blood magic ritual, erasing the Rey he knew and loved.

_Maybe she’s already lost to you forever — drowning in the darkness, just as I wanted._

That’s what Palpatine would have said to him, were he still alive. Even after death, the former Emperor was determined to get his way. 

Apparently, Ben’s friends had already discovered that Rey was gone, but they hadn’t wanted to wake him and cause him panic, since this was his first real night of peaceful sleep since being kidnapped by Shatterpoint five months ago. However, there was still plenty of panicking going on in the old Resistance base on Qwan’dar. 

He walked into the council room to find Finn and Hux arguing about what to do next, and Poe was shouting about Rey stealing his ship, while BB-8 beeped wildly. Chewie was just sitting sadly in a corner, worried about his friend Rey. 

Ben pressed the note from Rey into Rose’s hands, so she could read it too, and she looked up at him with eyes that were red from crying. Ben knew he should probably stay in this room and help figure out what to do, but he suddenly felt like he was suffocating. The walls of the cave seemed to be pressing in around him and threatening to bury him alive. He had to get out of here. 

There was so much chaos that no one but Rose seemed to notice that he’d disappeared (or that he’d even walked into the room in the first place). He staggered up out of the cave and found the sun was just rising over the horizon on Qwan’dar, painting the sky brilliant shades of orange and purple. He walked out into the desert, not really sure where he was going or what he was planning to do. 

_Be with me…_

Rey had taught him that mantra, and though right now he felt terribly alone, he hoped the Force was listening. 

_Be with me… Be with me… Be with me… Someone… Anyone! Be with me, please—_

“Ben.”

The voice was soft and gentle, like a calming breath of wind on a summer day. He didn’t even have to turn around to know who it was, and it immediately filled his heart with both joy and grief. 

His mother’s Force ghost had appeared in the desert behind him, a shimmering blue aura that radiated love and comfort. Ben was always grateful to see her in the Force, even if her presence was also painful because it reminded him she wasn’t physically in his life anymore. 

He wished he could talk to his mother’s Force ghost every day, but manifesting in the Force was a complicated, mysterious thing, and the Force followed its own rules. However, Leia always appeared when his need for her was most desperate, and today definitely qualified. 

Usually, his mother appeared to him alone, but as he finally turned to face her, he saw that his grandfather, Anakin Skywalker, was actually hovering by her side. 

“Hey kid,” Anakin said with a warm smile that indicated how at peace he was within the Force now that he was no longer haunted by “Darth Vader.” 

“Everything is...is falling apart,” Ben said, his voice breaking, and his mother’s eyes filled with understanding. 

“I know it feels like that, son. I experienced this many times when I was fighting in the Rebellion and later in the Resistance. It seems like the world is impossibly broken, and there’s no way to fix it. But you can’t give up yet; you have to keep being that light in the darkness. It’s not over.”

“I don’t know how to help Rey,” Ben said, sitting down on a rock and holding his head in his hands. “I’m so afraid for her, and what will happen if the dark side consumes her.”

“Dathomir is a dangerous place,” Anakin agreed, his expression turning serious. “Rey isn’t going to find what she seeks there. The Nightsisters will offer her gifts, but they’ll come at a terrible price.”

While Ben appreciated that Anakin wasn’t merely trying to placate him by making the situation appear less dire than it actually was, he didn’t exactly like having his worst fears confirmed. 

“What can I do then?” he asked helplessly. “Is there any way the two of you can appear to her, to stop her? Or has she already started the ritual, and it’s too late…”

“It’s never too late.” Leia knelt beside her son and placed an ephemeral hand on his shoulder. It wasn’t the same as getting a real hug from his mother, but it did help. “Your grandfather and I can’t manifest on Dathomir, but even if we could, we’re not who Rey needs right now. She needs you, Ben. She’s always needed you, just like you’ve always needed her.”

Ben was embarrassed to be crying in front of two Force ghosts, but he couldn’t help himself right now. 

“Believe me, I know just how much I need her.” He tried to wipe the tears from his eyes, but he couldn’t stop them from coming. “I...I can’t lose her, Mom. All I want is for her to be safe and happy, but she won’t be able to feel at peace until she’s stopped Shatterpoint.”

Leia nodded. “Yes, Shatterpoint does need to be stopped...but not at the cost of your souls. Rey already knows that in her heart; she just needs you to remind her. You’re the only person who can reach her now, Ben — this is your moment.”

Anakin’s eyes were full of sympathy as he looked down at Ben’s tear-streaked face. “I know what it feels like to fear losing the love of your life; it tears you apart inside, and you feel so helpless and unworthy. But you can’t give into that fear and let it rule you. Keep your focus on what matters most — which is Rey and your two daughters — and don’t stop running towards them.”

“But she told me not to go after her…” Ben said, and Anakin gave him a cocky grin. 

“Well, since when does a Skywalker do what they’re told?” he asked. “Crazy, last-minute, improvised plans are sort of our specialty.”

“I guess I should take the _Falcon_ to Dathomir, then?” Ben said, but Anakin was already shaking his head. 

“You don’t have enough time for that. You have to get there now.”

Ben felt frustration building inside him, although it was more directed towards himself. He didn’t understand what his grandfather was implying. 

“You and Rey are a dyad,” his mother explained. “Bound by the most powerful force in the galaxy — love. The two of you have tested the limits of that bond plenty of times, first by speaking to each other across time and space, and then eventually by passing a lightsaber to each other on Exegol. I think it’s time for you to try the next step.”

“You mean I should…” Ben’s voice trailed off, his confusion turning to shock as he finally realized what his mother and Anakin meant. What they were talking about went far beyond what even his Uncle Luke had done with Force projection on Crait. They wanted him to actually use the dyad bond to physically transport himself through the Force, from Qwan’dar to Dathomir. 

“Is...is...that even possible?” Ben stammered. “Am I strong enough in the Force to do that?”

“Not on your own,” Leia said. “But together, yes. Reach out to her, Ben. You can get to her in time.”

It was too much, with too little notice, and Ben had serious doubts this would even work. But he didn’t exactly have a lot of other options here, and so maybe it was time to just trust the Force and take a leap of faith. 

“I love you, Ben,” Leia whispered to her son as her ghostly form started to fade, called away by the pull of Force. “I promise, you’re going to be a great father, and you will get your happily ever after. Both your father and I believe in you.”

The voices in Ben’s mind kept trying to buffet him with more doubts, to make him question whether he could actually help Rey and if he even deserved to spend a life with her and raise their children. But he clung to his mother’s words instead, and cast those doubts from his mind. 

Taking a long, shuddering breath and then shutting his eyes, he plunged himself into the Force — deeper than he had ever gone before. He realized he didn’t have his lightsaber with him, but it was probably better that way. He didn’t need a weapon. All he needed right now was Rey.

He reached out to her through the Force, calling to her, and hoping that whatever was happening right now on Dathomir, she could still hear him…

***

Clouds of blood-red mist swirled around Rey as she jumped out of the cockpit of Poe’s X-wing and landed on the surface of Dathomir close to the planet’s nightfall. 

She’d never been to a planet like this before, the light all around her burning red and the trees twisted into dark, unnatural shapes that looked like claws reaching out to grab her. 

From a distance, one might assume that Dathomir was a dead planet — and in a way, it was — but this was a place where death was viewed not as something to be feared, but as another kind of power that could be manipulated. The dark side of the Force flowed freely, permeating the ground beneath Rey’s feet and the air she was breathing. This was nothing like the darkness she’d felt from Palpatine, Snoke, or even Kylo Ren — here, the dark side was wild and untamed. You couldn’t control it, but, if you were strong enough, you could shape it and bend it to your will. 

Rey had no map to guide her, but the mists around her seemed to be flowing in a deliberate direction, and she suspected the mists were trying to lead her to a particular place. She felt her skin start to crawl as she took her first steps into the gloomy swampland in front of her, the mists caressing her and drawing her further in. 

She could feel the two sides of the Force warring within her: the light side gently but firmly urging her to turn back, and the dark side practically singing with delight, promising to set her free if she just kept going. Rey would have to be very careful here, to use just as much of the Nightsisters’ dark magic as she needed to break the shard but not enough to corrupt her. 

Keeping one hand on her stomach to comfort and calm her twins, Rey ignited her yellow saber and plunged into the swampland, trying to reassure herself she really was doing the right thing. She caught herself looking quickly over her shoulder at the X-wing (her only means of escape from this planet), but the ship had already been swallowed by the billowing clouds of mist. Dathomir seemed to be very adamant that her path was forward, not backward. 

She moved quickly across the swampy ground, delving deeper and deeper until she realized she’d now lost all sense of direction. She was suddenly terrified, and she realized how much she wished Ben was here beside her, to face this darkness with her and help her overcome it. But she knew that was something she could never ask him to do. She’d just have to be strong and do this alone, for him and their daughters. 

“I’ll keep you safe, I promise,” she whispered to her twins, rubbing her stomach and trying to soothe them. “Nothing on this planet — or in this galaxy — will be able to harm you as long as I’m near.”

As if in response, Rey’s lightsaber hissed and sizzled a little louder, reacting with the red mist and driving it back. Rey shoved her fears and her doubts to the deepest, tiniest, innermost part of herself, and projected all the conviction and confidence that she could. Dathomir — and Shatterpoint — would not defeat her today. 

Through the mist, Rey finally spotted a dark, shadowy shape beckoning to her. She stepped into a clearing surrounded by gnarled, overhanging trees and saw that in the center of the clearing was an ancient stone altar covered with runes she had no idea how to even begin interpreting. 

Her hands trembling, she brushed her fingers across the cold stone and felt a rush of power unlike anything else she’d ever felt in the Force, both painful and invigorating. 

_The Nightsisters’ magic…_

She noticed that a jagged dagger lay on the altar, covered by dust, and without even realizing what she was doing, her hand reached out and grabbed the blade. 

Rey instantly staggered back, feeling like her hand and her whole arm had suddenly caught fire. She tried to drop the dagger but found she couldn’t release it; her fingers were wrapped tightly around the hilt, locked in place by a force outside her control. 

The red mist surrounding the altar suddenly changed to a bright, glowing green, and the runes on the altar flashed the same color, pulsing in time to the rapid beating of her heart. Although she sensed no one else in the clearing, she heard a voice in her head so cold and powerful that she froze in terror. She couldn’t have run now even if she wanted to. 

_Welcome, Rey,_ the voice whispered to her seductively. _Woman of many names and titles...warrior, Jedi, lover, friend, mother. A woman who is no one and everyone. We welcome you to Dathomir._

Rey tried to speak, but her tongue felt dry and heavy, and she couldn’t force out any words. In fact, the green mist was growing so thick it was almost difficult to breath...

The voice seemed amused by her inability to speak. _We do not need you to tell us why you are here...we already know. You have come for our magick to destroy the last remaining shard of the Mirror of Balance._

Rey nodded — that was all she could do right now. 

_We have measured you and found you worthy, Rey of Jakku,_ the voice continued. _You may take our magick, but you must be willing to pay the price._

Whatever force had been keeping her from talking suddenly released her tongue, and she drew in a deep, shuddering breath. 

“I have to destroy the shard,” she said. “I...I am willing to pay whatever price you ask of me in order to do that.”

The spirit — or whatever she was speaking to — seemed very pleased at her response. _We thought so. It will be an honor to witness such a powerful Force user as yourself wielding our magick. You are legendary, Rey, for your defeat of the Emperor. Long have we hated Darth Sidious, and his betrayal of the Nightsisters. The Emperor tried to claim you and your power as his own, but you defied him. With our gift to you, your powers will eclipse what his once were._

“I’m not here to seek power.” Rey knew it was probably dangerous to risk offending the spirit, but she thought it was important that she made her convictions known. “I don’t want to rule the galaxy, or anything like that. I just want to stop the people who are trying to hurt my family and my friends.”

_Then, the spirits of Dathomir will leave you to use our magick however you see fit,_ the voice told her; however, Rey was certain she felt a sinister undertone to the voice now. Perhaps it was better not to know ahead of time what the price of using this dark magic would be — since she had no choice BUT to use it — yet she decided to ask anyway. 

“What will I need to pay in order to use the blood magic to destroy the shard?” she asked, and a cold gust of wind caused the green mist to spiral around her and the altar, forming a spinning funnel that reached all the way up to the clouds. The sky flickered with green lightning, and a rumble of supernatural thunder shook the ground.

_Is Rey the Sith Slayer afraid?_ the voice mocked her, and Rey’s grip tightened around her lightsaber, her temper rising. _You already said you would pay the price, and you knew that our gift would not come cheaply. The cost you must pay is your soul — use our blood magick and become one with this place. All you have to do is take the dagger, mark it with a single drop of your blood, and then plunge the dagger into the altar to release our magick. You will be able to smash the shard with nothing but a thought, but you will lose your physical form, and your spirit will be bound to Dathomir forever._

Rey gasped in shock, nearly dropping to her knees next to the altar as she tried to process this revelation. She’d known the blood magic would come at a steep price but...but this? She would lose herself forever, in a way that was just as terrible as what Palpatine had almost forced her to do. 

“I can’t harm my daughters,” Rey said, backtracking from the altar. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize—”

A burst of wind pushed her forwards, towards the altar again. 

_Then we will make a bargain. You can use our magick and go free until your daughters are born. But as soon as you give birth, you must leave your daughters with the man you love and then return here to Dathomir to dwell as an eternal spirit._

Rey’s fingers finally loosened, and she dropped both the dagger and her lightsaber as tears started streaming down her face. She knelt on the swampy ground, her hands and knees sinking into the mud, but she didn’t even notice or care.

This was too terrible to even consider...but how could she not do this in the end? While the Nightsister spirits were cunning, she knew they were not deceiving her. They would be true to their word, and allow her to safely give birth to her daughters. But then she would have to say goodbye to them and Ben forever.

Rey couldn’t imagine spending an eternity bound to this place, apart from the people she loved, but if she didn’t destroy the shard from the Mirror of Balance, her family and friends would continue to be in danger. The blood magic was truly her final option; she wouldn’t have come to Dathomir if it wasn’t. And now that she was here, she couldn’t go home empty-handed. 

Trying to hold back her sobs, Rey slowly reached for the dagger and stood back to her feet. The mists guided her steps, ushering her towards the altar. The voice in her head was now joined by others, and they all began chanting, _In darkness she is undone, in darkness she is born. In darkness she is undone, in darkness she is born…_

Rey shut her eyes and took a deep breath, filling her mind with thoughts of her daughters and Ben, and how much she loved them. She would pay this terrible price for them, so they could be free. 

She pricked her finger, leaving a tiny drop of blood on the point of the dagger, and then raised the weapon high above the altar, ready to destroy the ancient stone monument and unleash the Nightsisters’ power. 

Yet before she could make the final move, she heard a desperate voice shouting above the sound of the wind and the chanting spirits, fighting to reach her. 

_Rey! Rey, please wait!_

It was Ben, and as his voice called out to her across the stars, she felt the dyad bond between them explode with power, stronger than she’d ever felt it before. 

That’s when she realized what he was doing — he was attempting to use their bond as a conduit to transport himself to where she was! She hadn’t thought that was even possible, but if they could pass a lightsaber to each other, then maybe they could do this too. 

_Ben, you shouldn’t be here — I have to do this to stop Shatterpoint!_ she told him, but it was too late. 

There was a flash of light and warmth, and suddenly Ben was standing right there in front of her — not merely as a Force projection, but as a real, breathing person. 


	17. Never Alone

Rey stared at Ben in open-mouthed shock, unable to believe what she was seeing. 

It didn’t seem possible that he was really and truly here, standing in front of her. He’d traveled not by ship, but by using their dyad bond as a pathway to physically transport himself. For a moment she was so giddy and happy to see him that she couldn’t decide whether she was thrilled or furious that he’d interrupted the ritual.

“Rey.”

He reached out to her and took her face gently in his hands. He still had that adorably messy “morning hair” he always had right after he first woke up (it must have been right at sunrise when he left Qwan’dar). And even though he was just wearing plain pants, boots, and a loose nightshirt, to her he’d never looked more handsome. 

“Rey, whatever this is, you don’t have to do this.”

Although they were surrounded by the swirling green funnel and the cacophony of chanting spirits, he was somehow oblivious to all that, focused only on her. The wind buffeted her, trying to knock her over, but Ben’s strong hands wouldn’t let the spirits take her from him. 

“I have to,” Rey said, trying to sound more determined than she felt. She kept clutching the dagger in her shaking hands. “I have to pay the price and trade my freedom for the power stop Shatterpoint. It’s the only way to—”

“The dark side is never the only way.” He stared directly into her eyes, his own eyes sparkling with emotion. “Rey, you don’t need extra magic from Dathomir to stop Shatterpoint. I told you this before, and I believe it with all my heart: you _are_ enough, on your own. You have the power within yourself to save the galaxy. I don’t know exactly how we’re going to counteract the shard right now, but I do know that you can do it. Don’t let the Nightsisters convince you that you have to pay some terrible price in order to get power that you don’t really need.”

Rey was crying now too, as she listened to him speak. She stubbornly clung to the dagger, afraid that if she lost her resolve and let it go, then she would be dooming her family and friends to live in a galaxy destroyed by Shatterpoint. 

_Complete the ritual — embrace your destiny!_ the voices screamed at her, and once again she felt her hand drifting towards the altar. _Do it now...you know you must._

But then she stopped — she shut her eyes, blocking out the sights and sounds around her, and took control of her body once more. She made herself face her fears and her pain, and delve deep down into what was really going on here. 

Her whole life, she’d felt unwanted and unworthy. Her parents had tossed her aside; she hadn’t felt powerful enough to be a Jedi; and then she’d feared her legacy would be defined by being a “Palpatine” (even though she’d later learned that wasn’t even true). She thought she’d helped the galaxy by getting rid of Emperor Palpatine, and then she’d felt completely useless when Shatterpoint had sought to take his place. After all that she’d done, she hadn’t been able to break the cycle. 

She’d come to Dathomir because she feared that if she relied solely on herself, she wouldn’t be enough. She needed extra insurance that she wouldn’t fail. She needed the blood magic because despite what Ben said, she wasn’t enough on her own. 

She tried to shield these current doubts from Ben, but their dyad bond was so strong right now that there was no barrier between them at all, and they could see and feel everything the other person was thinking and experiencing. 

“Don’t you dare let this place convince you that you are unwanted or unworthy,” Ben said, his voice so raw with emotion that it cracked, and he had to fight to keep going. “Rey, you are so, so loved — Rose, Finn, Chewie, and Poe want you and need you. And I would be so completely lost without you. I love you more than anything else in this universe, Rey; your love pulled me out of the darkness, when nothing else could. 

“And you were always worthy of being a Jedi and saving the galaxy; you didn’t need training from me or Luke or Palpatine. The Force chose you because it knew you were already worthy; it saw your light, your strength, and your determination, and it decided you were the hero the galaxy needed. 

“Come home with me, Rey, and I know we’ll find a way to stop Shatterpoint that doesn’t involve enslaving yourself to this place. The galaxy doesn’t need dark magic to stop the shard; it just needs you.”

Rey couldn’t stop crying, and she couldn’t speak. She just let the warmth of Ben’s love wash over her, healing the deep wounds she’d been holding onto for so long. She knew that if she let the dagger drop to the ground, Dathomir’s magic would be lost to her forever. The Nightsisters wouldn’t give her a second chance. In fact, now that the ritual had begun, she wasn’t sure they’d let her and Ben leave the planet without a fight. 

She was standing on a metaphorical precipice, staring down at a cold and empty future as a restless spirit on Dathomir, and she had to decide whether she was going to listen to her own doubts or to Ben. If he wasn’t here, she was sure that she would have gone ahead with the ritual, but since he was, she found that her resolve was cracking. Deep down, she knew he was right that trying to bargain with the dark side wouldn’t work in the end. Even if right now the Nightsisters’ magic did seem to be the only way out of this mess Shatterpoint had put the galaxy in. 

Ben didn’t push her or force her to make a decision; he just stood there, her face held gently in his hands. “You are enough,” he whispered one more time, and finally, Rey allowed herself to let go and trust him. 

The dagger slipped through her fingers, and the spirits around her shrieked in fury as they realized what she’d done and what it meant. Brutal bursts of lightning struck the trees around them, and the ground shook and started to crack open.

Rey looked over at Ben, and he nodded, just as he’d done right before she’d passed the lightsaber to him on Exegol. He was letting her know that whatever happened next, they would face it together. 

“I’m not taking your bargain!” Rey called out to the spirits as the wind roared around her. Reigniting her lightsaber, she turned and plunged it into the altar. The stone monument broke in half, and the ground shook so violently Rey feared the whole planet might shatter. 

But then, the screeching voices suddenly went quiet, and the earth stilled as the altar and the dagger crumbled into dust and were swept away by the wind. The green mist abruptly disappeared, and the clearing was still and silent once again. Whatever she’d done, the spirits of Dathomir had decided to leave her alone. 

Ben knelt on the ground, taking a moment to catch his breath and letting out a long sigh of relief. 

“That was...intense,” he said, trying to lighten the mood, but Rey was still too stunned to laugh. 

“I can’t believe I almost did that,” she said, staring at the scorched mark where the altar had once stood. “I mean, I was really, truly willing to sacrifice my freedom in order to get the blood magic.”

“Those spirits would have tortured you, and enjoyed doing it,” Ben said solemnly, standing to his feet again and wrapping his arms around her. “They saw your power, and wanted it for themselves, just like Palpatine did. But he couldn’t beat you, and they couldn’t either.”

“What do we do now then?” Rey said, subconsciously reaching for her stomach and thinking of her twins. “How do we deal with the shard?”

“Well, first I think we have to call our friends to come pick us up,” Ben said. “And then all of us can work together to find a way forward.”

“Poe is going to give me so much grief for borrowing his ship,” Rey said with a wince, and Ben cracked a smile. 

“Oh, he will — when I left him on Qwan’dar, he was still yelling about it.”

Rey knew she would have a lot of explaining to do once she was reunited with her friends, and some of them (especially Poe) might be upset at her for a while for going off on her own. But she’d make things right, and it would feel good to have her family back again. Because that’s what Poe and Chewie and Rose and Finn were to her; maybe her parents had left her, but her friends had become her true family now. It didn’t matter that they weren’t related by blood. 

Even though she hadn’t completed the ritual on Dathomir, the experience had still left her drained and a little-lightheaded, and she stumbled as she tried to follow Ben back through the swampland. 

Without saying a word, Ben gently bent down and picked her up, carrying her all the way back to Poe’s X-wing in his arms. 

“You’re not alone anymore,” he whispered to her, holding her tight as she leaned her head against his chest.

“Neither are you…” she murmured as her eyelids fluttered and then she drifted off to sleep, finally finding peace. 

***

Rose was so relieved to see Rey again that she had to work hard not to burst into tears of joy as Ben safely carried her friend on board the _Falcon_.

They’d brought a small crew to Dathomir; Rose and Chewie were flying the _Falcon_ , and Hux had come along in case they needed a gunner. Poe finally had to check back in for duty with the Galactic Alliance and hadn’t been able to accompany them to Dathomir, which was probably for the best since he was still fuming about Rey “borrowing” his X-wing. Finn had gone with Poe to wherever the Galactic Alliance was sending him, mostly just so he could try to smooth things over between Poe and Rey.

Rose had no idea what had happened on Dathomir that had exhausted Rey to the point that she was still asleep as Ben carried her through the _Falcon_ and tucked her into bed. Although Rose didn’t know anything about the Nightsisters’ blood magic, she sensed that Rey had declined whatever power this place had offered her. 

Rose was relieved about that; yes, it was tempting to take advantage of a dark kind of power that could wipe out the shard forever, but whatever the price had been to use that magic, it wasn’t worth it. Rose knew they’d find another way...even if right now she wasn’t sure what that was. 

Although they were originally planning to head back to Qwan’dar after Dathomir, since they still weren’t sure if it was safe to go back to Ahch-To, only a few minutes after they’d taken off they received a transmission from Finn. Apparently he and Poe were with Jannah at a Galactic Alliance summit on the planet of Naboo, and Galactic Alliance officials wanted _all_ of them to come — even Hux. 

Everyone seemed a little nervous about accepting the summons (Rose wondered if they were going to get chewed out for their unauthorized mission to rescue Ben on Wyxr and then their side quest to Dathomir). However, according to Finn, it wasn’t so much an invitation as an order. They were going to have to show up at the summit, or basically become fugitives. The Galactic Alliance didn’t have the patience to persuade them politely to come; they’d either show up or get arrested. 

While Rose tried to convince herself she was at peace with whatever happened once they landed on Naboo, her stomach was still twisted in knots as the ship broke through the atmosphere. She tried instead to focus on the planet’s breathtaking landscape, with its rolling green hills and sparkling lakes. Surely nothing truly terrible could happen to them in a beautiful place like this; unlike Wyxr, it really was a paradise. 

As she stared out the cockpit window, she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder and realized Hux was standing behind her. 

“It’s going to be okay,” he said softly to her, and Rose glanced up, realizing she believed him. 

“It will,” she said, as the _Falcon_ skimmed along the surface of the water surrounding the royal palace in the capital city of Theed. 

“I mean, as long as they don’t shoot me on sight,” Hux said, making an anxious joke. “You don’t think they will...do you?”

Rose smiled, squeezing his hand back. “I won’t let them — I promise. You’ve more than proven yourself to be a friend to the Galactic Alliance by this point.”

He returned her smile, his green eyes lighting up in a way she never would have guessed they could when she still knew him as a First Order general. She felt that fluttering in her chest again, her heart pulling towards his. 

A year ago, it would have been too strange to believe, but yes, she actually had developed feelings for Armitage Hux. She could admit that now, even if it was only to herself. She was a little afraid the others wouldn’t understand, and that even worse, Hux didn’t return her feelings. 

Although she knew she should probably talk to him about the way she felt, just to clear the air between them, she wasn’t ready to face the disappointment that would come if he didn’t love her back. Of course, she couldn’t keep avoiding it forever, and she decided that after the summit, she’d find a quiet moment to have that discussion with him. But for now, she just wanted to hold onto this warm, giddy feeling for a little longer, and treasure the way that being in love made her feel. 

***

Poe, Finn, and BB-8 met them at the bottom of the landing ramp as Rose and her friends disembarked the _Falcon_ , and in the distance, she could see Lando, R2-D2, and C-3PO waving at them too. They’d also brought along the Jedi academy students that they’d been serving as guardians for. 

As soon as the children saw that Rey had returned safe and sound, they rushed towards her with cries of delight, surrounding her with a gigantic group hug and also marveling at the fact she was now pregnant. Lando chuckled that after informing the children Rey was going to have twins, he’d had to sidestep numerous questions about exactly how pregnancy happened and how babies were born. 

“You can explain that later,” Lando said to Ben, clapping the young man on the back and grinning as Ben’s face went flaming red. 

Rose could tell that Poe was still a little miffed at Rey for the X-wing incident, but as the pilot watched the children’s glee (and BB-8’s excitement), his expression softened, and he gave Rey a hug. A quick but sincere apology from Rey finally returned his trademark smile, though Rose noticed his improved mood still couldn’t erase the look of haunted concern in his eyes. They were all still preoccupied by the situation they were facing. 

A ceremonial squad of Naboo Palace Guards and a contingent of Gungans soon arrived to escort them to the great hall of the Theed Royal Palace. Rose had assumed the formal escort was merely a sign of Naboo hospitality, but Poe muttered that he felt like they were prisoners being chaperoned on their way to a trial.

When they arrived at the great hall, they discovered it was already filled to capacity. Dignitaries and representatives had gathered from all across the galaxy to help decide the Galactic Alliance’s plan of action against the rising threat of Shatterpoint. 

It made Rose feel more than a little sad that such a gorgeous architectural marvel was being used to plan what would more than likely turn into another galactic war. She gazed up at the elaborately-decorated vaulted ceilings, supported by giant columns rising far above her head. The hundreds of chairs that had been crowded into the room were arranged in a circle around a small platform currently occupied by Dalé Anduko, the current queen of Naboo. The queen was wearing a sky blue dress made from dozens and dozens of yards of billowing fabric, with an incredible headdress that reminded Rose of the ocean waves on Ahch-To during a storm. 

Rose and her friends were escorted to a row of empty seats right in front of the stage. She realized that everyone in the room had apparently been waiting for them to arrive, because as soon as they sat down, Dalé stepped up to the podium to speak. 

“We gather today with heavy hearts,” she said, and there were immediate murmurs of agreement from around the room. No one was eager to escalate the conflict between the Galactic Alliance and Shatterpoint; they’d all barely survived the war with the First Order. 

The queen glanced around the room, at last resting her gaze on Rose and her friends. “But we do not, I hope, gather with a sense of total fear and despair. For as long as there are people in the galaxy who believe in freedom and peace, there is always, always hope.”

Rose glanced over at the row of chairs across from them, and she saw Larma D’Acy, former Resistance commander, wiping her eyes. Kadel Ko Connix squeezed the woman’s hand. Both of them were no doubt thinking of all the people they’d lost in the war against the First Order. 

“Many of you came today prepared to commit troops, ships, and whatever other resources you thought we might need for this coming war,” Dalé continued. “However, I would like to ask you to consider something else: how might we address the dangers posed by Shatterpoint without launching another war? I believe the galaxy has suffered more than enough for one generation, and surely we have learned by now that war only begets more war. We must do something to break the cycle.”

No one here disagreed with that statement; in fact, Rose was certain that almost everyone had come in hopes that someone else would be able to think of a solution that didn’t involve more fighting. Yet no one seemed to have any immediate ideas, and Rose could feel the room’s morale plunging as the grim silence stretched on. 

But Dalé wasn’t giving up — at least, not yet. “Ben Solo-Organa and Armitage Hux, if the two of you are willing, would you please approach the stand?”

Both Ben and Hux flinched at her request, as hundreds of eyes suddenly turned and stared at them. Neither one of them wanted this sort of attention, especially since they didn’t know what kind of plan Dalé had in mind for them. Yet it also didn’t seem wise to defy the queen of Naboo in her own palace, so Ben dutifully stood to his feet, clapping Hux on the shoulder to let him know that it would be okay. 

As they stepped up next to the podium beside Dalé, the queen turned back to the audience, gesturing to the two young men as she began to speak. “Before you stand two men who prove that the cycle of violence and darkness can be broken. Both Ben Solo-Organa, formally known as ‘Kylo Ren,’ and Armitage Hux once served the First Order. But they have now risked their lives to fight for their friends and for what is good in the galaxy. 

“If we had insisted on getting revenge against them, we would not have these two immensely valuable allies on our side today. So I would like to ask both of them, do you have any ideas for how, instead of destroying Shatterpoint through force, we can make peace with them and work towards rebuilding the galaxy together?”

Ben and Hux still looked more than a little stunned, but as Rose watched them, she felt a strange swelling of hope and purpose in her heart. Dalé was absolutely right; Ben and Hux were proof that violence wasn’t the only way to combat evil in the galaxy. If Kylo Ren and a former First Order general could be saved by friendship and love, then Shatterpoint could too. 

There were some people in the galaxy who would criticize that philosophy as being too naive and sentimental, but Rose believed with all her heart that it was true. 

_That’s how we’re gonna win — not fighting what we hate; saving what we love..._

Although Ben clearly didn’t want to speak in front of a huge group of people, Rose could tell there was something weighing on his heart that he felt he had to share. Finally, he took a cautious step forward, and Dalé graciously moved aside, surrendering the podium to him. 

Rose felt her eyes watering with tears, wishing General Leia could see this moment. Her son was about to do what she had done many times — inspiring the galaxy with words of courage and hope. 

“I don’t know exactly how to stop Shatterpoint,” Ben admitted, and Rose felt the uneasiness in the room start to build again. But he quickly followed that with, “I’m also sure the Resistance didn’t know exactly how to stop ‘Kylo Ren.’ I was saved because someone dared to love me and forgive me—” He paused and looked over at Rey. “—And she helped me find my way out of the darkness.

“I’m sure there are good people in Shatterpoint — even though that’s hard to admit, since they’ve been such a thorn in our side for months now. But if we can reach even one or two people inside that organization, we might be able to convince the whole movement to stop their attacks. 

“There’s a woman in Shatterpoint whose name is Za’ra; she actually kidnapped me and Rey initially. I know she doesn’t sound like the best candidate for redemption, but I think she could be pulled back to the light. During the five months I was a prisoner of Shatterpoint, I learned a little more about her. She has a sister who is very ill, and though it’s hard for her to talk about it, she loves her sister very much. At the heart of it, Za’ra thinks backing Shatterpoint is the only way to make the galaxy better for her sister. She’s not evil — she’s just lost.”

“If we found a way to give you a chance to speak with Za’ra, do you think you could persuade her to advocate for Shatterpoint’s peaceful surrender?” Dalé asked Ben, and for a moment, he didn’t answer. He actually glanced over at Hux, and the other man gave him a subtle nod. 

“I don’t know,” Ben said truthfully. “But I’m more than willing to try.”


	18. Never Too Late

Every time Za’ra closed her eyes at night and tried to sleep, she saw Ben Solo-Organa’s face. 

Haunting her. Accusing her. Reminding her of every moral compromise she’d made, and how far she’d fallen from the light...

Za’ra couldn’t admit this to anyone else, but she was actually getting pretty damn tired of Shatterpoint and its symbols. She’d believed in the movement at first, and thought it was the only way to bring true change to the galaxy. 

Yet now whenever she thought of Shatterpoint, she felt more guilt than conviction. Her doubts were eating her up inside, leaving behind a hollow shell of the angry, determined person she’d once been. At this point, the only reason she was sticking with Shatterpoint is because she felt she had nowhere else to go. 

Za’ra turned over onto her back, wrapping her blanket more tightly around her and trying to get warm. She stared up at the ceiling, wondering if she’d eventually get so bored and miserable that her body would force itself to go to sleep. She could hear her roommate, Deluy, snoring softly in the bunk above her. Deluy didn’t seem haunted by any of the doubts Za’ra was experiencing; apparently Deluy still thought Shatterpoint was better than the First Order. 

However, Za’ra knew Shatterpoint had crossed too many lines now to hold the moral high ground. First they’d kidnapped Ben and Rey, and then they’d used Rey’s pregnancy as a bargaining chip. They’d held Ben captive for months, just so they could use him in experiments with the shard, and they’d destroyed a Jedi academy for children in retaliation for Ben’s escape. They had literally become the type of oppressive organization they’d sought to destroy, but nobody in Shatterpoint seemed to care now. They just wanted to win the coming war against the Galactic Alliance. 

_“Things have to get worse before they get better,”_ Deluy had told her, but Za’ra no longer believed that things _would_ get better with Shatterpoint in charge.

Za’ra knew her sister Willa was deeply disappointed in her choices. Willa would never say something unkind to her face, but during one of their holo-calls, Willa’s eyes had filled with grief whenever Za’ra mentioned Shatterpoint. Willa had heard what sort of moral compromises Shatterpoint was making, and the fact her sister was involved in all that broke her heart. 

Za’ra felt tears leaking out of the sides of her eyes as she stared at the ceiling and thought of her sister. Willa didn’t even know the part about the Jedi academy; it was possible Willa might not ever speak to her again if she did. 

Forcing herself to close her eyes, Za’ra wished she could just sink into the oblivion that her restless, dreamless sleep always brought her. She needed to get at least a little rest tonight, because tomorrow would be a very long and difficult day. 

Shatterpoint was planning to launch its first full-scale offensive against the Galactic Alliance, starting with a surprise attack on the planet of Coruscant. They’d chosen the planet due to its status as the former seat of the Old Republic (once again, it was all about the symbols). 

Technically, Za’ra didn’t have to participate in this operation. She’d joined Shatterpoint voluntarily, and you were supposed to be able to leave the organization voluntarily. But not even a week ago, at least one person had been jailed for “desertion,” and this man hadn’t been seen or heard from since. Za’ra had a feeling the only real way out of Shatterpoint now was to help them win, and then hope things calmed down once the war was over, like Deluy kept promising. 

_Things have to get worse before they get better…_

Deluy’s words ran through her mind, over and over and over, and Za’ra tried to convince herself that she believed them. 

But it didn’t work, and she didn’t get a single minute of sleep. She finally got out of bed as she saw the sun rising outside the bedroom window, and she decided she might as well suit up. 

Hopefully, Coruscant would be the beginning of the end for the Galactic Alliance. Because Za’ra couldn’t bear the thought of this conflict stretching on for years. 

She wasn’t sure how much more guilt she could live with. 

***

Ben sat alone on a balcony overlooking the city of Theed, watching the sun slowly rise in the distance. The royal palace was still quiet at this early hour, and Rey was asleep in the room next to him, snuggled under a pile of red silk blankets on top of what was probably the softest bed Ben had ever slept in — even better than the admittedly impressive bed at the hotel connected to the Spire of the Sun nightclub. Rey had seemed so peaceful that Ben hadn’t wanted to wake her to say good morning yet. 

He had about five minutes left to prepare himself before Crimson Dawn hacked into the Shatterpoint communications system and connected him to Za’ra for a surprise holo-call. Crimson Dawn was coding the transmission so that it looked like an official Shatterpoint message, so Ben wasn’t really worried about Za’ra actually picking up. His main concern was keeping her from ending the transmission as soon as she realized it was actually him. 

He’d originally hoped to be able to talk to her in person. Not that he really wanted to see her again, but he’d felt his message would be more effective if he could deliver it face-to-face. However, Galactic Alliance intelligence had felt that was too risky, so they’d opted to try a holo-call instead, with Qi’ra’s help. Ben had asked if anyone else wanted to be on the call, but Naboo Queen Dalé Anduko had recommended that it be just him. It was probably a good idea that Rey was still asleep; she still very much wanted to punch Za’ra for keeping him captive for five months. 

Ben had spent most of last night sitting on the edge of the bed while Rey slept, going over what he wanted to say to Za’ra, reworking his speech over and over again in his mind until it felt like a garbled mess. He wasn’t a gifted speaker like his mother or his grandmother, Padmé Amidala.

There were many rooms in the Naboo royal palace, but he supposed there was a chance his grandmother had stood on this very balcony many years ago, maybe even taking advantage of the amazing view to watch the sunrise. Padmé’s skills as a politician and a diplomat were legendary, and Ben wished he had inherited her gifts. 

What could he say to persuade Za’ra to abandon a cause she’d already dedicated so much of herself to? He couldn’t just call her up and say, “Hey, this is Ben, remember when you kidnapped me and kept me imprisoned for five months? Well, I forgive you and I’m really hoping you’ll just surrender and convince Shatterpoint to surrender too and stop attacking the Galactic Alliance. Sound good?”

He knew that trying to explain all the ways Shatterpoint was hurting the galaxy wouldn’t help; he’d ignored all that back when he’d been Kylo Ren. Rey had finally gotten through to him because she’d appealed to his heart instead, and pushed him to be the better man she knew was trapped inside him, desperate to get out. Somehow, he’d have to find a way to do the same for Za’ra and—

Ben’s hologram projector suddenly beeped, and he realized he was out of time. Crimson Dawn was calling Za’ra right now, and in a few seconds she’d pick up and he’d have only a brief window to catch her attention and convince her to turn back to the light. 

“Hello?” Za’ra’s voice sounded garbled, not because they had a bad holo-connection, but because it looked like she hadn’t slept at all last night. Even through the holo-message, he could tell that her hair was messy and her clothes were wrinkled. He did notice that she appeared to be dressed in heavy combat gear, which probably wasn’t a good sign. 

“Za’ra, please don’t hang up — I really need to talk to you, just for a moment. I promise I’ll make it worth your time.”

Za’ra’s eyes widened in surprise, and then narrowed as she fully processed what was going on.

“How did you get access to this channel?” she snapped, but Ben shook his head, not wanting to waste time explaining all that when it was possible Shatterpoint could pick up on the call and end the transmission at any second. 

“Look, I’m not here to threaten you,” he said, and her glare deepened (if that was even possible). 

“Well, what are you here for then?” she asked. “Is this just a prank call or a distraction? That’s more of a Poe Dameron move, isn’t it?”

“I promise, this isn’t a trap,” Ben said. He knew he wasn’t doing very well so far, and he sensed that he was already losing her, before he even had a chance to get to his official message. He finally decided to just ditch the script he’d rehearsed, and speak from his heart. 

“Listen Za’ra, I know we probably don’t have much time, so I’m just going to be blunt and honest. Right now you’re part of an organization that is hurting the galaxy. I know I have no right to judge you, because I was supreme leader of the First Order and did so many terrible things that continue to haunt me. This message isn’t about passing judgement on you, because I think you already understand in your heart that what you’re doing isn’t right. 

“You want to help your sister, Willa, and I respect that. Even when I was Kylo Ren, I loved Rey so much that I was willing to do literally anything to save her. I’m sorry the Galactic Alliance — and the Republic before it — didn’t do enough to help your sister. They’re not perfect, and there’s a lot left we need to work on. But you can’t keep killing people; I don’t think that’s what Willa really wants.”

Za’ra’s eyes flashed with anger, but Ben had the feeling that anger was actually directed inward. Maybe Willa had already expressed her concern about Shatterpoint, or even told Za’ra she was wrong. Regardless, Ben could tell he’d just struck a nerve, and he had to keep gently but firmly pushing. 

“If you surrender, I promise I’ll work to personally make sure your sister receives the help she needs,” he said. “Help us make the Galactic Alliance better. I’m at a summit on Naboo right now, led by Queen Dalé Anduko, and everyone here seems to understand that the Galactic Alliance has made mistakes and needs to do better. We’re all willing to change, but we need you to help show us the way. We need all of Shatterpoint to work with us.”

Za’ra pursed her lips, carefully considering his words. He could tell he hadn’t won her over yet, but at least she was thinking about what he’d said instead of immediately hanging up. 

“I don’t believe the Galactic Alliance really wants to work with me,” she replied at last. “If I were to surrender — and believe me, I’m not actually planning to do that — wouldn’t they just toss me in a jail cell?”

“And that’s where you’re wrong,” Ben said. “I was the leader of the First Order, but look what they did for me — they forgave me, and gave me a second chance to be a better man. Za’ra, if I can come back from the dark side, anyone can. _You_ can.”

Za’ra just stared at him, but now he could feel the conflict within her. She was drowning in the darkness, just like he once was, and she desperately wanted to reach towards the light. Unfortunately, he could tell she thought it was already too late. 

“I can’t go back now,” she said softly, the edge leaving her voice. She looked so very, very tired, and not just in a physical sense driven by lack of sleep. “I’m sorry. I...I’m sorry for what I did to you and Rey. That wasn’t right. I’m sorry about the Jedi academy too. Whatever happens next, I hope that the two of you and your children get the happily-ever-after you deserve.”

He saw her reaching out to disconnect the transmission, and Ben panicked, searching for a way to keep her talking. He couldn’t let her go like this. 

“Za’ra, please—”

“Don’t tell anyone this came from me, but you’d probably better warn all your friends to get ready,” she said grimly. “An attack from Shatterpoint is coming today. They’re taking it back to where everything started. Don’t underestimate what they’re capable of.”

With that, the transmission winked out. 

***

Rose closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the hull of the troop transport ship, trying to steal a few moments of calm meditation before the ship landed on Coruscant and all hell broke loose. 

She’d hoped so desperately that they could avoid a full-scale conflict with Shatterpoint. She’d hoped that Ben could get through to Za’ra, and when that hadn’t worked, she’d hoped that Shatterpoint would respond to Queen Dalé Anduko’s personal pleas for peace. 

But that hadn’t worked either, and all they’d been left with was Za’ra’s vague hint that a major attack was coming to the place where “everything started.” 

The Galactic Alliance hadn’t had much time to ponder what that clue meant. Some thought that might mean Naboo, where the peace summit had just been held, but they’d eventually decided on Coruscant, where the Jedi Order had gotten too caught up in Republic bureaucracy and where Emperor Palpatine had risen to power. 

Rose volunteered to go with the first wave of medics and aid workers deploying to Coruscant, even as her heart grieved to be signing up for such a grim mission. Hux had volunteered to go with her. Poe would be leading the aerial defense force from his X-wing, and Rey, Ben, and Finn were working on some kind of Jedi plan that was either so top secret they couldn’t tell her, or they simply didn’t have any idea what to do yet. They were currently flying with Chewie in the _Falcon_. 

The troop ship vibrated slightly as it plunged into the atmosphere of Coruscant, and then rocked violently as a laser bolt from the now infamous Shatterpoint star destroyer collided with the troop ship’s deflector shields. 

It was a dangerously bumpy ride from there on out, and without even thinking about it, Rose reached for Hux’s hand, and he squeezed it tightly. She realized that maybe this was his first time to take part in a real battle. He used to command his troops from a safe distance, but now he would be a part of the action on the ground. Rose wished that he didn’t have to have this experience, but if this was their fate, she was glad to have him by her side. 

The ship touched down on a landing pad in the planet’s mid level, almost tipping over since its landing gear had been damaged during the flight. The pilot opened the doors, and everyone on board quickly unbuckled themselves, charging down the landing ramp. 

Rose and Hux were the last to leave the ship, and Rose took a deep breath to prepare herself before she stepped out and gazed into the skies above the planet that had become her home. 

The twilight sky was already lit by dozens of explosions, as Galactic Alliance ships clashed with Shatterpoint’s forces. The ground rumbled every once in a while, as bombs were dropped at Coruscant’s higher levels. 

Rose knew they couldn’t afford to linger here, but as she looked around at the chaos of battle, she realized that either her or Hux — or maybe even both of them — could die here today. And if that was the case, then there was something important she couldn’t afford to leave unsaid. 

She placed her hand on Hux’s arm and gently turned him to face her. 

“Hux, I—” She started to say, only to realize that Hux had started speaking at the exact same time. 

“I love you, Rose Tico,” he said, and Rose felt as though the wind had been knocked out of her. 

“I love you.” He said it again, the earnestness in his eyes robbing her of any ability to speak she might have otherwise had. “I’ve known it for a while now, but I was too afraid to say anything because I know I don’t deserve you. 

“You are the most intelligent, amazing, brave, and beautiful woman I have ever met. You were willing to give me a second chance when pretty much no one else was; you believed that I could change, and that I could become a better man. 

“I don’t expect you to love me back; I just want you to know how much you have meant to me. In case I...in case I...well...don’t come back today, I wanted you to know just how utterly wonderful you are. You make the galaxy a better place, Rose Tico. Please don’t ever change a single part of your beautiful self.”

Rose was glad Hux was holding her by both shoulders now, because she just might have fallen over. She stared up at his green eyes, shining with emotion, and she knew that he’d meant every single word. He wanted her to love him so desperately, but he was also at peace if she didn’t. He wanted her to be free to make her own choice. His wonderful words came with no strings attached. 

And that made Rose love him all the more. 

Rose couldn’t help herself — although they were standing on what was likely soon to become a war-torn battlefield, a gleeful laugh bubbled up within her. 

“Hux, you silly man — I was about to tell you that I loved _you_!”

Hux cocked his head, as if he couldn’t quite believe what she was saying. “You...you…do? I mean...you were?”

Rose was smiling so hard now her face hurt. “Yes! I can see how much you’ve changed, and now I can’t even imagine my life without you in it. I don’t know what’s about to happen to us today, but I will treasure this moment between us always.”

“Can I...can I kiss you?” he asked, and Rose felt her heart start to hammer inside her chest in anticipation. She realized she’d never wanted anything more from this adorably awkward man whose painful past hid a tender, beautiful heart. 

As he leaned down towards her, she stood on her very tiptoes, taking his face in her hands. Their first kiss was short but sweet, as they both tested out how it felt to express their feelings for each other like this. 

As it turned out, it felt very, _very_ good, and their second kiss was hungrier, longer, and Rose felt sparks kindling inside her. No one probably would have labeled Hux as a hopeless romantic before this, but something new had unlocked within him now, and he dipped her gently backwards as she tangled her fingers in his red hair. 

The world might be going to hell around her, but for this one, precious moment, Rose felt safe and loved. She wished she could tell her sister, Paige, about all of this. About how she’d waited for love to find her, and how she’d finally stumbled on it in the most unexpected of ways. 

Maybe Rose’s happily-ever-after was doomed to be short, but that did not diminish the beauty of this moment. When a nearby bomb blast caused them to reluctantly break apart, they risked staring at each other for one more second, and Hux brushed a quick kiss against her forehead. 

“Whatever happens, I’ll be right beside you,” he promised her softly, and Rose nodded. 

“Let’s face this together,” she said, and they turned towards the battle that awaited them. 


	19. Voice of Balance

As Finn stared out the cockpit window of the _Millennium Falcon_ and watched the explosions cluttering the deep purple and orange twilight sky above Coruscant, he realized just how tired he was. 

Not physically tired — he’d actually gotten a decent amount of sleep last night, thanks to the private rooms Queen Dalé Anduko had provided for them at the Naboo royal palace. Rather, he was exhausted emotionally. He might be only in his early 20s, but he’d already lived through too many wars. He’d left the First Order because he refused to shoot innocent villagers on Jakku. He didn’t want to keep fighting, and he didn’t want to watch more people die. 

But the Galactic Alliance felt they had their backs up against a wall now and there was no other option but joining this war. Finn still wanted to believe there was another way, and that was what Ben, Rey, and him were now desperately searching for. 

He wasn’t sure exactly where they were going; they’d just told Chewie to fly the _Falcon_ into the middle of the battle, hoping maybe that would trigger a moment of inspiration from the Force. However, Shatterpoint had brought the shard from the Mirror of Balance on their star destroyer, and Finn could feel nothing from the Force but a faint stirring every now and then that quickly dissipated. 

For now, the _Falcon’s_ deflector shields protected them from damage as Chewie steered the ship through the maze of explosions and skyscrapers, but Finn knew the shields wouldn’t hold forever. An idea had better come to them soon, or they’d have to get away from the firefight if they didn’t want to be shot down. 

“I really wish we had the Force right now,” Ben said with gritted teeth, bracing himself against the hull of the ship as they took a particularly heavy hit from a Shatterpoint ship’s laser cannons. 

Like Finn, Ben and Rey had suited up in their Jedi gear, with their lightsabers hooked to their belts. Ben was wearing a black leather jacket and slim gray pants with knee-high black boots; Finn thought he looked an awful lot like his father Han. Rey was wearing a brown hooded vest and fitted ivory shirt, and fingerless gloves to help her keep her grip on her lightsaber in case they needed to fight on the ground. Finn was wearing a jacket similar to the one Poe had given him when he’d first joined the Resistance, because it reminded him that there was still hope as long as good people were willing to stand up for what was right. 

Finn could understand Ben’s frustration with the situation; he felt it too. This would definitely be a lot easier if they had the Force...

_But you DO have the Force._

Finn gripped the chair in front of him, startled by the sudden voice in his head. At first he didn’t recognize the rich, resonant tone, but he guessed it had come from a Jedi whose spirit had passed on into the Force long ago. As he listened to the echoes of those words, he realized that he actually had heard this voice before, in a Jedi holocron Rey had found. 

It was the legendary Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn. 

_How...how can you be talking to me right now?_ Finn asked, but the voice had gone silent. He wondered how much power the spirit of Qui-Gon had to expend in order to break through the restrictive wall generated by the shard. 

_But you DO have the Force…_

Despite the chaos of the battle around him, Finn closed his eyes and pondered those six brief words. They had to be the key to unlocking this problem with Shatterpoint and the shard. Qui-Gon had known he didn’t have much time, and he’d chosen those specific words for a reason. It wasn’t just a trite platitude...

And suddenly, Finn realized what he, Ben, and Rey kept forgetting. 

The shard might make it difficult to feel the Force, but that didn’t mean the Force was gone. It was still right there, surrounding them and guiding them all this time. 

They’d approached the problem of the shard from a place of defeat, assuming there was no way they could win while it was in play. Yet if Qui-Gon could get through the barrier, then Finn and his friends should be able to do that too. They just had to find that tiny sliver of a crack that Qui-Gon’s spirit had slipped through, and then force that crack to widen until the entire barrier shattered. 

The shard had been forged by dark blood magic, and while the Nightsisters had promised Rey that dark magic could easily break the artifact, Rey had (rightly) decided the cost of eternal servitude wasn’t worth paying. Finn thought back to the “Shattered Glass” files that had originally been passed onto them by Crimson Dawn. The shard had been born of a twisted ritual that nevertheless began with a bond of love between two people. Perhaps what was needed to break the shard wasn’t more darkness and hate, but Force users working together to restore the balance that had been lost. 

The Force didn’t want another war; it had been trying to restore peace through love and family ever since Palpatine had broken the balance years ago by corrupting Anakin Skywalker. First, Darth Vader’s children, Leia and Luke, had saved the galaxy from the Empire, and then Leia had reached out to her son Ben before the battle on Exegol and turned the tide of the second war. If the Jedi could destroy the shard today without hurting anyone in Shatterpoint, then maybe the attack on Coruscant would be the first and only battle in this new war. 

And maybe this time, war would end for good. 

***

Rey listened carefully as Finn explained his idea to her, Ben, and Chewie. The plan itself was simple — the difficulty would come in actually making it work. 

Finn was asking Rey and Ben to help him with a feat that seemed impossible. First, they’d have to work together to slip through the Force-blocking barrier generated by the shard, and then he suggested a peaceful but very attention-getting demonstration of Force power that would hopefully bring the battle to a halt. 

Rey’s old self-doubts bubbled within her as she considered Finn’s plan. Was she strong enough to do this? What if it didn’t actually work, and they only made things worse?

But the time for doubts had passed now. Every second, more bombs dropped, and they had to end this war as soon as possible — and hopefully end all wars for a long time to come. 

Chewie dropped them off on a balcony jutting out from one of the Coruscant skyscrapers that was so tall Rey felt like she could almost reach up and run her fingers through the clouds. Chewie rumbled a concerned “good luck” to them before flying away; Rey could tell he was anxious about leaving them here alone, but he trusted that the Jedi were doing the right thing.

By now, the sky had deepened to a dark purple speckled with stars, and the view from up here would have been breathtaking if Rey was less preoccupied. Instead, she glanced up and saw Shatterpoint’s star destroyer looming high above them, its laser cannons firing over and over again. 

“Are we ready?” Finn asked, looking over at his two friends, and Rey and Ben nodded solemnly. Then they all joined hands, closed their eyes, and reached out through the Force. 

The shard’s presence was still there, trying to block them, but this time they focused not on their own individual connections to the Force, but how the Force bound them — and all the life on this planet, even Shatterpoint — together. 

Rey focused on her friendship with Finn and how much they cared about each other. No matter what trials they’d faced as part of the Resistance, they’d always found each other in the end. 

Rey focused on her love for Ben. Their love story had many twists and turns, and they’d each been tempted by the dark side. But their love had eventually saved them both, and given them a second chance.

Rey focused on her love for her twin daughters, who were due to be born in a few short months. She couldn’t wait to hold them and watch them grow, and provide a better life for them than the loneliness and pain she’d lived with as a child. 

And though this was the hardest, Rey focused on Za’ra, who had to be somewhere in the middle of this battle. Rey forgave her, despite everything she’d done, and she let her desire for revenge slip away. When Ben said he thought Za’ra could turn back to the light, she believed him. Maybe what they were about to do would help persuade her. There was still hope. 

Rey clung to all the good things surrounding her, and slowly, she felt the faintest tingle in the tips of her fingers, as the Force ignited within her once again. 

_Be with me...Be with me...Be with me…_

Those little sparks of Force power soon grew to a flickering flame, and Rey pushed harder. Trying to reach through the shard’s barrier felt like slamming into a stone wall again and again and again, but she kept doing it, because each time she drove her mind like a hammer against the wall, it cracked just a little bit more. 

_Be with me...Be with me...Be with me…_

And finally, it was enough. Together, Rey, Ben, and Finn flooded the barrier with so much love and light that it finally collapsed. Rey couldn’t actually see the shard shattering (it was probably somewhere on board the star destroyer, in protective custody), but she felt it break and then disintegrate, just as the altar on Dathomir had done. 

The Mirror of Balance was gone forever, and that meant it was possible now for the Force to find true balance by ending a war through the power of forgiveness and love. 

The Force came rushing back to Rey, and she was buried under its overwhelming flood. It was almost too much, but she just stood there and embraced it, allowing the current to carry her along. 

Still holding hands, Rey, Finn, and Ben now reached out with their minds towards the star destroyer. At first nothing happened, the hulking metal ship seemingly impervious to their power. But then, ever so slightly, it began to budge. 

They kept pulling the ship towards them, and eventually the ship’s laser cannons stopped firing, as the crew realized they weren’t in control of the ship anymore. 

Trying to move a star destroyer took so much power that Rey’s mind and body screamed with pain, but the Force wasn’t giving up and neither was she. She looked over and saw Ben gritting his teeth, and she squeezed his hand tighter, urging him not to give up. 

Together the three Jedi were accomplishing something not seen since the glory days of the High Republic: pulling a capital ship out of the sky. The smaller ships from the Galactic Alliance and Shatterpoint all darted away from the plunging star destroyer, and the firefight completely stopped. 

Harder and harder the Jedi pulled on the ship, and it gradually picked up speed, plummeting towards the ground. Gravity was helping them now too, and Rey almost found herself losing control. She could hear the ship’s warning sirens blaring, and the crew was now preparing for what they assumed was an incoming crash. 

But that wasn’t what Finn’s plan was designed to do. 

“Now!” Finn cried, and they all threw up their hands and brought the star destroyer to a screeching halt, holding it locked in place. 

Pulling down the star destroyer from the sky was hard enough, but fighting off gravity and keeping it suspended was even harder. But whenever Rey thought that she just couldn’t hold on anymore, she reminded herself that she wasn’t doing this alone. The Force was not just a conduit, but also a web, connecting not only her and the star destroyer, but her, Finn, and Ben. What they couldn’t do alone, the Force would help them do together. 

“Qi’ra, see if you can hail the star destroyer!” Ben shouted into his comlink, and the head of Crimson Dawn replied with a crisp, “Patching you in now.”

It was time for Za’ra’s second chance.

***

Za’ra felt like the galaxy had been ripped out from underneath her, and she was just spiraling down into a hopeless void that would end with a fiery crash as soon as the star destroyer hit the ground. 

Seconds ago, she’d watched the shard from the Mirror of Balance shatter, seemingly out of nowhere. It was supposed to be Shatterpoint’s foolproof safety net, and then it was simply gone, faded into specks of dust too tiny to ever piece back together. 

Then she’d felt the Jedi pulling on the ship, and the bow of the massive spacecraft slowly began to tip downwards, the star destroyer’s shields and thrusters no match for the Force. 

The Jedi’s display of power was wreaking havoc with the ship’s artificial gravity, and Za’ra and the other crew members eventually had to strap themselves into chairs to prevent themselves from sliding across the floor of the bridge. 

Deluy refused to abandon her post, and she continued to shout orders even though no one was really obeying them anymore. As the star destroyer started its plunge towards the earth, the floor shifted from a horizontal angle to completely vertical, and Deluy lost her footing and slammed into the view window on the bridge, knocking her head so hard that she lost consciousness. 

Was it truly possible for three Jedi to pull a star destroyer out of the sky, using only their minds? Apparently it was, and no matter how much this might feel like a surreal nightmare, Za’ra’s surging adrenaline reminded her that she was very much awake. She almost wished she was unconscious, like Deluy now was, so that she wouldn’t have to experience the inferno that was about to kill her. This would not be a glorious death in battle; it would be incredibly excruciating, and incredibly horrifying. 

Like the Empire and the First Order before them, Shatterpoint had allowed themselves to become too confident, and too complacent. They’d bet everything on that blasted shard, and now that it was gone, they had nothing left to stop the Galactic Alliance from completely obliterating them. Maybe the Galactic Alliance would at least show mercy to the Shatterpoint operatives who surrendered; Za’ra guessed most of them would give up or run away once they saw the star destroyer had crashed. There would be no stopping the Jedi now, and who knew what else they were capable of? She doubted anyone in Shatterpoint would want to test them and find out. 

Although Za’ra tried to reach for her comlink, so she could send Willa one last message before she died, the ship was shaking so hard and falling so fast that it was difficult to move. The comlink slipped through her fingers and slammed into the window next to Deluy, breaking in two pieces. 

Za’ra was going to die without getting to say “I love you” to her sister. To apologize for everything. To admit how wrong she’d been. She should have taken Ben’s bloody offer earlier today, but like the stubborn idiot she was, she’d insisted on following this path to its bitter end. She had no one to blame for this but her—

The star destroyer suddenly stopped in mid-air, the abrupt change in speed nearly causing Za’ra to black out. She almost thought the force of the fall had killed her before the explosion could consume the ship, but she was pretty sure she was still alive. The ship had actually just frozen in place; the Jedi were keeping it hovering above the ground, thanks to the Force. 

Before she could even begin to consider what this all might mean, the ship’s comm system crackled, and she heard a familiar voice shout, “Za’ra!”

Ben Solo-Organa — what the hell was he doing?

“Za’ra, I can sense your presence on this ship, and I know you can hear me!” he said, with just a hint of brash confidence that would have made his father proud. “In a few seconds, we’re going to safely release the ship, but while we have your attention, I want to ask you one more time to please stop. Stop the bombs. Stop the killing.”

Za’ra’s heart hammered in her chest, as she pondered the feat of power that was taking place below her. Ben was talking to her while literally helping Rey and Finn suspend a star destroyer in the air. He quite literally held her life in his hands. 

“It’s not too late, Za’ra,” he pleaded with her. “You know we could use the Force to drive this ship into the ground, but that’s not what being a Jedi is about. We don’t want anyone else to die today.”

“So I have to surrender now, or you’ll crash the ship?” Za’ra asked. She wanted to be bold, but her heart just wasn’t in this anymore. Instead, the voice that came out of her sounded small and afraid. 

“No.” Ben’s reply was immediate and emphatic. “Whatever you decide, we’re going to return the star destroyer safely to space. Your blood is not going to be on our hands today. Don’t let our blood be on yours.”

Za’ra gripped the armrests of her chair as she realized what he was doing. The Jedi wanted her to know that they were just going to let her go, and that they weren’t going to use the Force as a weapon. Her head was screaming at her to take advantage of this and keep fighting, but her heart was sending her a different message. 

_Let go, Za’ra — it’s time._

True to Ben’s word, the star destroyer started to level out, creaking and groaning as it lifted back into the clouds. The artificial gravity started working again, and in a few seconds, they’d be able to go back to dropping bombs and firing laser cannons. 

“What should we do?” 

The man sitting next to Za’ra turned towards her, and everyone else on the bridge followed suit, waiting for her orders. Shatterpoint didn’t really have a strict leadership hierarchy in the same way the First Order had, but Deluy had pretty much been in charge of this star destroyer. And now that Deluy was out of commission, for some reason everyone was looking to Za’ra for direction. 

_Let go, Za’ra — it’s time._

The second time, the voice in her heart sounded like Willa. She pictured her sister, on the outside so frail and fragile, but inside one of the strongest people Za'ra had ever known. If Willa were here, she’d tell Za’ra that stopping the battle wasn’t a sign of weakness — it was an act of mercy. 

Za’ra finally decided that Willa was right. Ben Solo-Organa was right. It was time. 

“All Shatterpoint forces, stand down!”

While Za’ra’s hands were trembling, her voice was strong. 

“It’s time to stop the killing. We’ve become the very thing we sought to destroy, but it’s not too late. Land your ships, put away your blasters. This war is over.”

Although a few of the soldiers on the bridge looked at her in shock, the majority’s faces filled with gratitude and relief. At their core, most of them had known that what they were doing was wrong, and they were more than ready to stop the battle. 

She heard someone dissenting over the Shatterpoint communications channel (she wasn’t even sure who), but she wasn’t about to allow anyone to ruin this second chance they’d been given. 

“Stand down!” she shouted with such conviction that the dissenter immediately shut up. “The shard from the Mirror of Balance is gone. The Jedi could use the Force to kill us, but they’re not going to. This star destroyer will not be dropping another bomb or firing another laser blast. And I’d better not see any of you doing that either!”

Technically Za’ra had no real authority here, but something about her voice must have persuaded even the doubters, because all around her she saw the Shatterpoint ships turning away from Coruscant and retreating to space. She could hear over the comm channel that the ground forces also were laying down their weapons. Galactic Alliances forces were doing the same. 

Za’ra wasn’t sure what would happen from here, or what her ultimate fate would be. But as she looked out over the now quiet skies of Coruscant, she felt tears springing into her eyes. It hadn’t been easy, but she’d done the right thing. Deep down in her heart, she knew that no matter what the future held, she could face Willa now without being ashamed. 


	20. Healed at Last

For Ben, the next few days passed like a blur. 

Pulling a star destroyer out of the sky was quite possibly the most difficult thing he’d ever done, and it had taken almost everything he had. After they’d finally let go and returned the ship to space, Ben, Rey, and Finn had all nearly collapsed. Chewie had to carry them back on board the _Falcon_ one by one, where they’d all passed out and slept for almost a full day.

Ben knew Rey was sad they’d missed the celebration on the streets of Coruscant after the battle ended. Apparently people had been crying and hugging friends and even strangers, and then someone started playing music and a crowd had danced until dawn. Poe swore he’d even spotted Armitage Hux dancing, which is a sight Ben had never imagined that he’d see.

Loud, gigantic parties weren’t exactly Ben’s favorite thing, but he still wished he could have been there to see Rey enjoying the experience. He imagined her laughing and dancing through the streets, finally free of all the cares that had been weighing her down these past five months. 

Yet even though they’d missed the party, there was still plenty to celebrate. They’d be parents soon, and now they didn’t have to temper their joy with their fears for the future. Their twin daughters would be born in a galaxy at peace. 

Still, he acknowledged the fact that they hadn’t just magically fixed the galaxy and made everything perfect overnight. There remained a great deal of work to do, and in recognition of that, Queen Dalé Anduko hosted another peace summit on Naboo the very next day after the battle on Coruscant. 

Everyone in Shatterpoint was invited to attend, and anyone who wanted to speak was allowed to share any grievances they had with the Galactic Alliance (and vice versa). By the time the summit ended two weeks later, both the Galactic Alliance and Shatterpoint had a long list of issues to address, as well as potential ideas for legislation and programs that could improve life for everyone in the galaxy, not just a select few planets in the galaxy’s core. 

Though not everyone agreed on every proposal, of course, representatives from both Shatterpoint and the Galactic Alliance signed an agreement that the fighting would stop permanently, and they promised to work together on much-needed galactic reforms. Za’ra was appointed liaison between Shatterpoint and the Galactic Alliance (that had been Ben’s recommendation, actually), and despite everything that had happened before, she did seem committed to peace now. She’d even hugged him on the last day of the summit, an impulse that seemed to catch both of them by surprise.

There were still a few Shatterpoint members who were resistant to the peace agreement, including former First Order officer Deluy. But Jannah would actually be leading a program that would partner participants in the former stormtrooper rehabilitation program with Shatterpoint operatives like Deluy, allowing the former stormtroopers to share how they viewed the Shatterpoint organization and how it had unfortunately followed the same pattern as the First Order. Ben hoped Deluy and others like her would listen, and learn. 

Ben also wished, more than anything, that his mother could have been there to participate in the summit and watch as the peace agreement was signed. This was everything she’d hoped for after the fall of the Empire and the First Order, and though, as always, the future remained uncertain, Ben felt that this time, the peace really would stick. 

The Force felt different now — but different in a good way. Breaking the shard from the Mirror of Balance seemed to have unlocked something new within the Force, and Ben was aware now, more than ever, of the importance of the connection between all living things. He couldn’t wait to get the Jedi academy started again on Ahch-To, and to help the students start exploring what they could accomplish through this new balance in the Force.

And apparently the balance within the Force wasn’t the only thing that had changed during the battle on Coruscant. Poe had also reported that Rose and Hux were officially a couple now, which had caught Ben more than a little off guard but also made him strangely happy. He’d spent a long time hating Hux, but if “Kylo Ren” could find redemption, then he couldn’t very well deny that same sort of second chance to Hux. And he could see just how happy Hux made Rose, and nobody deserved happiness right now more than Rose Tico.

“Ben, come here — I need you!” 

He heard Rey’s muffled voice calling to him from the other room, where she’d been working on packing her suitcase so they could leave Naboo this afternoon to return home to Ahch-To. Ben was supposed to be packing his suitcase too, but he’d gotten distracted by his own thoughts and had caught himself just standing on the balcony and staring at the scenery again. He was definitely going to miss the Naboo landscape; there really was nothing like it.

He hurried into the other room to find Rey standing with her arms in the air, tangled up in her shirt and armwraps. 

“Don’t you dare laugh at me, Ben Solo-Organa,” she warned him. “I was trying to get dressed and found out this shirt is too small to fit over my baby bump, and now it got caught in my armwraps and is so tight I can’t get it off.”

It was really, really hard not to laugh at Rey flailing her arms, but Ben bit his lip — hard — and solemnly helped Rey extricate herself from the fabric. Although she glared when she looked up and saw him smirking, her frown only lasted for a few seconds before she burst into a fit of giggles. 

“I guess this is going to be our life now for the next four months,” she said, and Ben grinned as he put his hand on her stomach, feeling one of the twins kick. 

“Have I ever told you how much I love you?” he said, and Rey raised an eyebrow teasingly. 

“I don’t know...why don’t you inform me?”

“I love you more than anything else in this entire galaxy,” he said, wrapping his arms around her and savoring how good it felt for them to be able to hold each other again and sense their dyad bond in the Force. “And we’re going to live happily ever after.”

“Is that a promise?” Rey looked up at him with sparkling hazel eyes. 

“It is.” And Ben was determined to spend the rest of his life making sure he kept that promise.

***

“Well, I think that’s the last of it!”

Rose closed her suitcase and then quickly surveyed her room at the Naboo royal palace to make sure she’d grabbed everything. Although she’d been proud to be a part of this peace summit for the past two weeks, she was ready to get back home to her mechanics shop...and to introduce Hux to her business and all her favorite spots on Coruscant. 

Rose felt like she’d barely touched the ground since the war with Shatterpoint had ended. The galaxy was finally at peace, and she was enjoying every second of being completely, hopelessly in love. She was pretty sure she and Hux hadn’t stopped smiling since they’d started dancing in the street during the post-battle celebration — and yes, she’d actually gotten Hux to dance! 

Hux walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, and she leaned back into him, taking one last look at the view from the balcony adjoining the room. They hadn’t fully determined what their plan for the future would be, but they’d promised that whatever happened, they’d stick together.

Hux’s comlink beeped, and Rose assumed it might be Chewie, letting them know he was about ready for takeoff (he’d be dropping Rose and Hux off at Coruscant before flying Finn, Rey, and Ben back to Ahch-To). However, Hux’s expression immediately darkened as he saw who was calling. 

“It’s Crimson Dawn,” he said quietly, and Rose felt her heart sink. They hadn’t really talked about what Hux’s responsibilities with Crimson Dawn would be after the war. He’d told Rose briefly that he wanted out, and would like to find a new job on Coruscant so he could be close to her, but Crimson Dawn wasn’t one of those organizations that you could just up and leave whenever you wanted. The very permanent Crimson Dawn tattoo on his arm was proof of that. Rose had offered to hide him if he wanted to try to escape, but he’d told her, sadly, that Crimson Dawn would find him eventually. They always did. 

“I can give you a minute alone to take the call,” Rose said, reluctantly breaking way from Hux’s embrace, but he immediately shook his head. 

“No — whatever they have to say to me, I don’t want to hide it from you. Would you...would you be willing to stay?”

“Of course,” Rose said, squeezing his hand and hoping for the best as he answered the call. 

“Armitage Hux.” Rose heard Qi’ra’s voice coming through the comlink. “You really have surprised me. You’ve gone from First Order general to treasure hunter to well-known galactic hero. I even saw footage of you dancing on the HoloNet after Shatterpoint surrendered.”

Hux’s face turned bright flaming red. “Um...thank you,” he said, apparently unsure of what else to say. 

Qi’ra chuckled softly. “I know you’re probably anxious to hear what your next assignment with Crimson Dawn will be, and I won’t keep you in suspense. I’ll be sending you an encrypted document in a few seconds, and I’d like you to report for duty first thing tomorrow morning. I’ll let you enjoy one more round of Naboo nightlife.”

Hux swallowed nervously. “Well, that’s the thing — I...well...I know that this really isn’t done, but I’d like to...well...resign from Crimson Dawn.” He looked down at Rose, and took in a long, shuddering breath. “I’ve found a different purpose for my life now.”

For a long time, Qi’ra was absolutely silent, and Rose’s anxiety increased. Was Qi’ra shocked? Furious? Would she send out a bounty hunter to chase Hux down and make him come back? 

“I had a feeling you might be asking that,” Qi’ra said slowly, in a tone that was difficult to read. “Unfortunately, Crimson Dawn isn’t an organization you can just leave whenever you want to. Once you choose it, you’re here forever.” She paused again, and then her voice grew softer. “But I understand — believe me, I do. A long time ago, I wanted to leave to be with a person I loved very, very much. Yet I couldn’t. And I’m afraid you—”

“Please — is there any way you can let him go?”

Rose hadn’t meant to say anything, and the words escaped from her lips before she could stop them. She clapped a hand over her mouth in horror; what if her interruption just made Qi’ra angrier? 

However, when Qi’ra finally replied, she didn’t seem upset or even surprised. “Rose Tico — I thought you might be listening in. Well, I hope I have some good news for you, then. I was about to tell Hux that while I can’t officially allow him to leave Crimson Dawn, what I can do is mark his status as ‘deep under cover’ for an indefinite period of time. This means he won’t be assigned any new contracts. He’ll still be listed as a member of Crimson Dawn, but the two of you can enjoy a long and peaceful life together, if that’s what you want.”

“Th...thank you,” Hux stammered, as if not quite able to believe what he was hearing. “I promise that I won’t ever cause you any problems. I’m ready for a quiet life.”

He put his arm around Rose, and she hugged him tightly, unable to believe their unexpected turn in luck. “A long and peaceful life together” — that was exactly what she’d dreamed of. 

“Keep him out of trouble, Rose,” Qi’ra said, and though Rose couldn’t see the other woman, she felt like she could hear her smiling. “I hope that man realizes just how lucky he was to win your heart.”

“I do,” Hux said with a smile that made Rose’s heart soar and filled her with a cozy warmth that stretched all the way to the tips of her fingers and toes. 

She couldn’t wait to spend the rest of her life loving this man. 

***

_One month later…_

When Ben had first asked Za’ra if she’d be willing to let the Jedi try to heal her sister Willa, Za’ra had said no. 

She wanted nothing more than for Willa to be well again, but she still found it hard to completely trust the Jedi. She didn’t fully understand how Force healing worked, and she had this gnawing fear that something might go wrong, and that she’d lose Willa forever. 

But when she’d told her sister about the offer, Willa said that she wanted to give it a chance, despite the risks. Although it was going to be very hard for Za’ra to put her sister’s life in someone else’s hands — people who just a month ago had been her enemies — she knew it was time to let go and allow Willa make her own choices. Ben and his friends had forgiven Za’ra and risked their lives to give her a shot at redemption, and she had to trust that they would do what was right by her sister. 

The Jedi followed Za’ra through the forest to her sister’s secluded home, where she lived alone and was tended to by her caregiver, a Chiss doctor. The front door led them to a sitting room that was separated from the rest of the house by a thick panel of glass that protected Willa from outside pathogens. This was as close as Za’ra had been able to get to her sister since Willa had contracted a rare condition her doctor simply called “the wasting disease,” since it was so rare it did not have a scientific name. 

The glass prevented Willa from being exposed to pathogens that her fragile immune system wouldn’t be able to fight off. But today, they would have to open that barrier in order for the Jedi to attempt to heal Willa. 

As they walked into the sitting room, Willa was waiting for them on the other side of the glass, her hand pressed up against the protective barrier. Her long, dark blue hair was woven into an elaborate braid, and her eyes lit up as soon as she saw Za’ra. Za’ra always felt guilty whenever she saw how overjoyed Willa was to see her; she didn’t really feel like she deserved her sister’s love, after all she’d done. 

“Hey you,” Willa said with a radiant smile that hid how much of a daily struggle life was for her with her illness. 

“Hey,” Za’ra said. That was all she could get out, before her voice cracked. She didn’t want Ben, Rey, and Finn watching her get so emotional, but she was finding it hard to hide her feelings today. Willa always saw through her facade anyway. 

“Hello, Willa,” Finn said, and Willa turned towards the Jedi, her smile getting even bigger. 

“I can’t believe I’m actually meeting all of these galactic heroes today! You’re like living, breathing legends!” 

Finn chuckled. “Well, ‘legends’ might be a bit much, but I’m glad we didn’t disappoint.”

Willa straightened the billowy dress she was wearing, and Za’ra noticed, with a pang, that Willa looked even more frail than she had the last time they’d seen each other. The Chiss doctor said Willa had maybe a few months of life left, if the Jedi didn’t intervene. 

“I’m ready to open the barrier, whenever you are,” Willa said, and Za’ra felt her stomach twisting into an anxious knot. 

This was it — once the barrier opened, the Jedi would have to heal Willa within minutes, or she would die. This could be Za’ra’s last moment with her sister. 

Willa reached for the button that would open a door in the glass barrier, but Za’ra held out a hand. 

“Wait — for just a moment. Please.” She turned to face the three Jedi, trying to remember the words she’d rehearsed beforehand. She wasn’t good at this, but she felt she had to anyway. “Listen, before you do this, there’s...there’s something Willa needs to hear me say. Ben, Rey, and Finn — I want to apologize to all three of you. For everything awful I did while I was a part of Shatterpoint. I don’t feel I’ve earned your forgiveness, but I’m asking for it anyway. Thank you for coming here, and trying to heal my sister. I know whatever happens, you’re going to do everything within your power to save her. And after this, I...I’d like to come back to Ahch-To to help rebuild your Jedi academy, since I helped destroy it in the first place.”

Za’ra turned back towards her sister. “Willa, I love you so, so much. And I want to be a better person, to make you proud. I want to make things right.”

Willa locked eyes with her twin sister. “I know you will,” she said softly. And with that, Willa pressed the button, and an invisible door in the glass wall opened. 

Rey, Finn, and Ben all stepped forward and placed a hand on Willa, who shut her eyes and braced herself for the difficult process that was about to begin. Za’ra could tell the outside air was already hurting Willa’s sensitive skin, but her sister said nothing, standing patiently as she waited to learn what her fate would be. 

Za’ra couldn’t feel the power transferring from the Jedi to her sister, but she surrendered her need to be in control and just trusted the Force. She counted every beat of her heart, and it seemed like an eternity passed as the three Jedi focused on healing Willa. Maybe it wasn’t even working, maybe this had been a bad idea from the—

_This will work!_ Za’ra reprimanded herself, and suddenly, Willa’s eyes popped open, looking brighter and clearer than they had since childhood. Her ragged breathing grew more even, and she stood a little straighter. Her hair no longer looked quite so brittle, and her face was less gaunt. 

The healing process seemed to be accelerating now, and even with her anxious skepticism, Za’ra could not deny that yes, Willa _was_ getting better. She could see that expending this much power was draining the Jedi, but they wouldn’t stop until they felt that Willa was completely well. 

When they finally withdrew their hands, Willa simply stood there for a moment, her eyes closing again as she drew in a series of deep breaths. And then she shocked everyone by bursting into a fit of joyous laughter, throwing up her hands and dancing around the room. 

“I’ve never felt like this before,” Willa exclaimed, twirling around and around. “I...I feel alive!”

Za’ra could no longer help herself; she burst into tears of relief and joy, sobbing so hard that she dropped to her knees on the ground. She tried to get out the words, “Thank you,” but she was powerless to speak. 

Ben simply smiled at her and nodded, letting her know that he understood. The Jedi waited long enough for the doctor to perform a quick scan and pronounce that the wasting disease was cured before they quietly slipped outside, giving Willa a moment alone with her sister. 

Za’ra tried to stand, but when she couldn’t, Willa knelt down next to her, so they could see each other eye to eye. And then, for the first time in far too long, the two sisters embraced. Za’ra honestly never thought they’d be able to stand in the same room together without a wall of glass between them, much less hug again, and she held onto her sister tightly, never wanting to let her go. 

Za’ra couldn’t believe that even after all she’d done, the Jedi had still been willing to help her. They’d given her the most precious gift she could have ever asked for: her sister’s life back. 

Za’ra vowed she would never take that gift for granted. 

***

_**Coming next week…** _

_The final chapter of “Heirs of the Force,” with Reylo babies and a Rose/Hux wedding!_


	21. Naboo Sunset

Rey was worried the final months of her pregnancy would drag by slowly. She and Ben were so excited to become parents, and Rey couldn’t wait to hold their twins in her arms. 

However, as it turned out, they had plenty of projects to keep them busy as Rey counted down the weeks until her due date. 

True to her word, Za’ra returned to Ahch-To to help Rey, Ben, and Finn rebuild the Jedi academy buildings that had been destroyed by Shatterpoint. She also brought along her sister Willa, who was now well enough to leave her home and travel for the first time. 

Za’ra seemed to be settling into her role as liaison between the former members of Shatterpoint and the Galactic Alliance, and once the Jedi academy was finished, she and Willa set off on a tour of the galaxy. Za’ra said she wanted to show her sister all the places she hadn’t been able to visit because of her illness. They were starting with Naboo (Willa’s choice) and then staying with Chewie on Kashyyyk (Za’ra’s choice). Where they were going after that was yet to be determined; Willa said she wanted to wait and see what place called to them next. 

When Rey had been healing Willa, she almost thought she’d detected some Force sensitivity there, but she’d decided not to say anything. Perhaps Willa already knew she could access the Force and had simply chosen not to pursue formal Jedi training, or maybe she just wasn’t ready to take that step yet. In any case, now was the time for the two sisters to simply enjoy their adventure across the galaxy, and their time together; Willa could determine what path she wanted to follow when she got back. 

Rey and Ben spent the month after that setting up a nursery in their home on Ahch-To, starting with a wooden crib Chewie had carved for them. Rose and Hux even made them a mobile to hang above the crib, featuring tiny knitted Porgs. This of course had delighted all of the Jedi students (who were obsessed with the Porgs inhabiting Ahch-To and were as excited for the twins’ arrival as Rey and Ben were). 

Rey tried not to be nervous about the birthing process itself, even though she didn’t quite know what to expect. All the students went on holiday a week before her due date, to give her and Ben time to make final preparations (and by that point she was so tired that she didn’t feel like teaching anyway). Ben was constantly asking her if she was okay and if she needed him to get anything for her, which she found absolutely adorable. No matter how many times she assured him that yes, she was fine, he still worried about her and was asking the same question a few minutes later. 

Rey was helping Finn and C-3PO harvest some vegetables from the garden when she felt her first contraction, surprising her so much that she dropped the basket of produce she’d been holding. Finn darted off to notify the medical droid, while C-3PO started running around the garden in a panic, waving his arms in the air. Rey eventually got him calmed down enough that she was able to send him to go get Ben, who also immediately started to panic. 

He picked Rey up and carried her all the way back up the hill to their hut, as she clung to his neck in nervous excitement. The medical droid was already waiting for them, and Finn gave Rey a quick hug before giving her some privacy. 

Rey wasn’t sure exactly how long she was in labor; she lost track of time as the contractions grew stronger, and she gritted her teeth through the pain, forcing herself to take deep breaths as the medical droid had instructed her. Ben was by her side the whole time, and he let her squeeze his hand as tight as she wanted to, even though she was sure that sometimes it hurt. 

Although the pain seemed to last forever, the memories of that exhaustion and struggle quickly melted away when she heard the sound of her daughters’ first cries. 

She and Ben had talked for a long time about what to name their twin daughters. They wanted something that honored their family’s past while looking to the future; they hoped their daughters would be inspired by their family’s legacy rather than beholden to it. The first daughter to be born they named Sabé, after Padmé Amidala’s loyal handmaiden. Rey could already tell that baby Sabé would be a fierce fighter; she came out kicking and screaming, determined that her voice would be heard. 

The other twin they named Amilyn, after Leia’s dear friend Amilyn Holdo, who’d sacrificed herself to save the Resistance. Baby Amilyn was quieter than baby Sabé, though she was just as strong. Rey could feel her daughters’ spirits radiating in the Force, bright flames of hope and power. She already loved them so much she could barely breathe as she looked down into their tiny faces and imagined their future. 

Ben was the first to break down in tears as the medical droid placed Sabé in his arms, and he held the infant gently, rocking her back and forth. Of course, as soon as Ben started crying, Rey lost control of her own emotions, and she started sobbing with joy as she held Amilyn. 

Ben curled up in bed next to Rey, and for a long time they just sat silently together holding their twins and marveling at the new lives they’d created. Light from the Ahch-To sunrise came streaming in through the window, and Rey couldn’t think of how this moment could be anymore perfect. 

Of course, Ben was thinking of his parents, and wishing they could be here too to meet their grandchildren. Rey could feel the grief and loss mixed in with his joy this morning. However, even though Rey didn’t see Leia’s Force ghost, she could still sense the other woman’s presence. While Leia might not be here physically, Sabé and Amilyn would have a grandmother to watch over them as they grew up. 

Rey and Ben’s childhoods might have been filled with pain and loneliness, but Sabé and Amilyn had been born into a better galaxy — free from Snoke, free from Palpatine, and free from Shatterpoint. And Sabé and Amilyn would never, ever have to doubt just how much they were loved. 

“I feel like I don’t deserve to be this happy,” Ben said softly as he took a turn holding Amilyn. “I keep thinking this is just the best dream of my life, and I’m afraid I’m gonna wake up and it will all be gone.”

Rey leaned her head against Ben’s shoulder as she smoothed Sabé’s thin wisps of hair. Sabé was going to have beautiful, dark hair just like her father. “You do deserve to be this happy, Ben. Remember how you told me that we were definitely going to live happily ever after? Well, this is it — we’re doing that right now.”

Ben looked down at Sabé, a smile spreading across his face as he held his daughter’s tiny hand in his own. 

“Yes, we are.”

***

_Three years later…_

A gentle breeze blew across the Naboo lake, and the sun started to set in distance, causing the water to sparkle as it reflected the warm orange light. 

Ben, Rey, and their friends sat in a row of chairs that had been set up on the stone pier overlooking the lake, waiting for the wedding ceremony to begin. Although toddler Amilyn was sitting quietly with “Uncle Finn” and “Grandpa Chewie,” playing with the stuffed dewback toys that she’d brought from home, Ben was having to keep a very close eye on little Sabé. She kept trying to escape from them so she could go run and play on the beach. She might only be three years old, but Sabé already had a strong personality, and when she was determined to do something, it was almost impossible to stop her. 

Ben saw Rey trying not to chuckle as he tried to explain to Sabé, for what seemed to be the thousandth time, exactly why she couldn’t just go play by herself in the sand unsupervised. Sabé was happiest when she was either A) playing in dirt or B) running as fast as she could. She had already declared that when she grew up, she wanted to be a pilot just like her “Uncle Poe,” so she could go even faster. Han would have been proud of that declaration (although of course he would have argued that _he_ was the fastest pilot in the galaxy). 

While parenting brought its challenges (and some sleepless nights), Ben absolutely loved being a dad. It had taken him so long to find his place in the galaxy, but he felt like he was finally becoming the man he was meant to be. Although he already loved Rey more than anything, each day he felt like he found a new way to fall in love with her. 

The Naboo scenery surrounding them was certainly impressive, but he just couldn’t take his eyes off Rey tonight. She’d chosen to wear a light yellow, flowy gown made of delicate layers of chiffon that fluttered in the breeze. The dress was also embroidered with gold floral patterns that added just a hint of shimmer. She’d braided her hair in an Alderaanian style, and just a few wisps had escaped, framing her face. She was always the most beautiful woman in the galaxy to him, and every time he looked at her, he couldn’t believe he was lucky enough to spend the rest of his life with her. 

Ben glanced over and saw Poe had finally managed to distract Sabé from her scheme to escape down to the beach, by giving her some candy he’d brought in his pocket. Poe loved spoiling Sabé and Amilyn; he always brought their favorites — a stuffed animal for Amilyn and candy for Sabé — and they would giggle with delight when they saw what treat Uncle Poe had brought for them this time. Technically Sabé wasn’t supposed to have candy before dinner, but Ben decided now was probably not the best time to enforce that rule, since Sabé was finally sitting down and not trying to run away. 

“Thank you, Poe,” Ben leaned over and whispered, and Poe grinned. 

“Uncle Poe to the rescue, as always,” he said. “Although recently she’s started asking if I can bring her an X-wing instead of candy, so be warned.”

“Sabé’s X-wing!” Ben’s daughter said proudly, and Poe simply shrugged and kept grinning.

“You know, if someone had told me five years ago that one day I’d be sitting at Rose Tico and Armitage Hux’s wedding while helping babysit the twin daughters of Rey and the reformed ‘Kylo Ren,’ I probably would have punched them,” Poe said, clapping Ben on the back. “But, I’m pretty damn happy to be here now.”

“Candy for you, Daddy!” Sabé interrupted, handing Ben one of her chocolates. It was slightly melted, due to the warm weather and the fact she’d been holding onto it so tightly, but the gift reminded Ben just how blessed her truly was: to have Rey, these wonderful daughters, and former enemies like Poe he was now glad to call his friends. 

“I’m pretty damn happy to be here too,” he said.

***

Rose Tico heard the music start playing and drew in a long, deep breath to center herself. Then she clutched her bouquet of flowers and took her first few steps down the pier towards her happily ever after.

She couldn’t believe she was really getting married today, surrounded by the friends who had become her family, next to a lake in Naboo that was almost too beautiful to be real. 

She was so happy that her face almost hurt from smiling, and she’d woken up with the most wonderful, bubbling warmth in her chest. She wanted to run down the pier right now and jump into Hux’s arms, but she made herself walk slowly and savor the moment, as she looked out across the lake and the faces of her friends. Walking down the aisle at your wedding was a once in a lifetime experience, and she would treasure every single second of it. 

Rose and Hux had chosen to have a small, intimate ceremony on Naboo, on the pier where they’d originally gotten engaged. Poe and Finn had actually helped Hux plan the surprise proposal. Poe pretended to be interested in purchasing a new speeder from a woman on Naboo, and he wanted Rose to take a look at it before he bought it. He claimed he couldn’t bring the speeder to Rose’s mechanics shop on Coruscant and that he and Finn would pick her up and take her to Naboo instead. 

Poe had dropped her off at the pier around sunset, claiming he’d be back with the speeder “in just a few minutes.” By then, Rose was starting to feel a little suspicious, especially as she noticed how hard Finn was trying to hide his smile. 

However, she still wasn’t prepared to turn around and find an immaculately dressed Armitage Hux standing at the end of the pier, dropping down on one knee as he presented her with a sparkling rose-gold ring. She’d been so excited that she couldn’t even remember all the lovely words he’d said to her in his proposal speech (she made him recite it again for her, once she felt like she could breathe again and her thoughts weren’t flying through her head at the speed of light). 

She agonized for a long time over what wedding gown to choose for today (she felt like she’d tried on dozens at the dress shop on Coruscant). But when she’d spotted the dress she was wearing now hanging at the very back of the rack, she’d known it was “the one.”

It was a light pink, strapless gown that hugged her curves and then pooled on the floor in a fluttery train that made her feel like a princess. The bodice was covered with pink, glittery sequins, and she’d styled her hair in a braided updo. In addition to pink teardrop earrings, she wore the matching pennant she and her sister Paige had once shared. The Haysian ore medallion was her most precious possession, and she always knew she’d wear it at her wedding one day in honor of Paige. 

Earlier today, she’d slipped away for a quiet moment alone beside the lake at sunrise, to remember her sister. She’d traced a heart in the sand, and then lit a small candle in her sister’s memory. 

_I miss you, Paige,_ she’d thought, as she held the candle and watched the gentle waves of the lake lapping against the shore. _I wish you were here to watch me walk down the aisle. I wish you were here to see peace return to the galaxy. Thank you for sacrificing your life for me, and for so many others, and for standing up to the First Order. You inspired me to keep fighting for what was right, and I know you’ll always be with me. I love you so, so much_. 

Rose took a moment to glance at all of her friends one by one as she walked past them, and reflect on what they meant to her: Rey and Ben, with their beautiful twin daughters in their arms; Chewie, who’d given both her and Hux a huge hug when he’d arrived on Naboo last night; Finn smiling at her; and Poe giving her a wink and a thumb’s up. She was so thankful to have all these people in her life. They’d been through so many challenges together, but she believed the worst was finally behind them, and at long last, the future looked bright and full of hope.

And then, at the very end of the pier, she locked eyes with the love of her life, who was waiting to explore that future with her. She couldn’t help herself; she let out a little squeal as soon as she saw him looking so handsome in his perfectly tailored dark gray suit. He’d let his hair grow out a little, and it was arranged more loosely than the severe style he’d worn in the First Order. To her, it symbolized how he’d become more comfortable in his own skin, and had broken the control the First Order once had over his life. 

When Rose arrived at the end of the pier and finally they were standing face to face, she took his hands in hers and looked up into his eyes. She could see the tears of joy shining in his eyes, and she knew there were tears in her eyes too. 

After losing her parents and Paige, she once thought she’d never be able to find happiness again. Yet even though that loss would always be with her and she’d never stop missing them, Hux had taught her that it was possible to find love and light again.

She was ready to live happily ever after. 

THE END 

***

Thank you so much to everyone who has read and commented on “Heirs of the Force”! I had a lot of fun writing this story, and I just love these characters so much and wanted them to have a happy ending. I’m not totally sure what my next fanfic project will be, and I’m planning to take a couple weeks off while I take care of some health issues. But I hope to continue writing sequel trilogy fanfic later this summer. May the Force be with you! 


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